Measles

Overview

  • Measles is a serious disease caused by a virus.
  • Measles is spread person-to-person through the air.
  • Measles can cause pneumonia, seizures, brain damage, and even death.
  • The measles virus is very contagious, so when one person gets infected, it’s easy for the disease to spread. Measles is common around the world. Measles outbreaks occur each year due to infected people bringing the disease into the United States from other countries.
  • Vaccination is the best way to prevent measles.

Measles Vaccine Schedule

Measles Vaccine Schedule

In the United States, measles vaccine is part of the MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine. All children should get 2 doses of MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine starting at age 12 months. Some teens and adults may also need MMR vaccine if they didn’t get 2 doses when they were younger.

RESOURCES

Measles: Questions and Answers

Information about the disease and vaccines, from Immunize.org.

Clear Answers and Smart Advice About Your Baby’s Shots

An excerpt from Baby 411 by Ari Brown, MD, FAAP, provides clearly written information about safe and effective vaccines.

Partner Resources

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Measles (Rubeola)

Find fact sheets, resources, multimedia, and more for parents and children from CDC.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Vaccines for Your Children: Vaccine (Shot) for Measles

Two doses of the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine are recommended for children by healthcare providers as the best way to protect against measles, mumps, and rubella. Learn more about measles and vaccines from CDC. A Spanish-language version is also available.

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
A Look at Each Vaccine: Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) Vaccine

Questions and answers about measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) and vaccines from the Vaccine Education Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

Measles and Rubella Initiative logo
The Measles & Rubella Partnership

The Measles & Rubella Partnership is committed to ensuring that no child dies from measles or is born with congenital rubella syndrome. They help countries to plan, fund, and measure efforts to stop measles and rubella for good.

PERSONAL TESTIMONIES

John Kiely

John Kiely relates his personal experience with measles and reminds us that vigilance in maintaining high levels of vaccination coverage is necessary to prevent measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases from making a comeback.

Read more.

Eileen Ouellette

In this personal account, Dr. Ouellette vividly describes her own experience with measles infection in 1937. As an eight-year-old girl, she suffered for days with an extremely high fever from measles.

Read more.
View All Testimonies
MEASLES PHOTOS

Warning: Some of the images are graphic.

View All Measles Photos