Measles Outbreak in Ohio Reaches 68 Cases: Highest in 18 Years

Following a mumps outbreak in central Ohio over the past couple of months that affected 278 people, another outbreak has struck the state. This time, 68 measles cases have been confirmed, which is the highest number in the U.S. in 18 years.

The measles outbreak began after a group from Christian Aid Ministries returned from a mission trip in the Philippines, where measles is endemic with over 20,000 confirmed cases of the virus. Four people on the mission trip were infected with measles, which is believed to have initiated the spread.

The prevalence of measles is returning after it was believed to be eradicated from the United States in 2000. Last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recorded 189 cases of measles in the country, and the total number of cases in 2014 is already at 187. The outbreak in Ohio is the largest in the country since 1996.

Other smaller measles outbreaks have occurred in Alabama, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Tennessee. Reasons for these outbreaks include immunities to vaccines, some children not receiving proper vaccinations, and current doctors not being familiar with measles.

Last month, the World Health Organization released a report that examined antimicrobial resistance across the world and found that a number of bacteria, parasites, viruses, and fungi are becoming ever more resistant to current treatments and drugs. The Measles-Mumps-Rubella vaccine could potentially be rendered ineffective in the near future if outbreaks continue. A number of the Ohio State students who were diagnosed with the mumps were properly vaccinated and still fell ill.

"Although most of us don't realize it because it is so rare in our country, measles is a serious disease," said CDC director Tom Frieden in this CNN News article. "Measles is so contagious that if one person has it, 9 of 10 people close to that person who are not immune will also become infected."

Ohio health officials said they have vaccinated nearly 800 people with the Measles-Mumps-Rubella vaccine since the outbreak's inception. They also mentioned that the first few measles cases were misdiagnosed as dengue fever, further supporting the notion that many modern day doctors are not familiar with measles.