March 21, 2025

Measles: Why It’s Serious & How to Check Your Immunity

Why It’s Serious

Measles may seem like a mild disease, but it’s actually very serious. Measles causes serious illness and leads to hospitalization for 1 in 5 who become sick ¹.

It is one of the world’s most contagious diseases. If one person has it, 90% of people around them who aren’t immune will also get sick. Measles spreads easily through coughs, sneezes, or shared air and surfaces, and it can stay contagious for up to two hours ².

Measles can lead to dangerous complications including pneumonia, brain swelling, and blindness. These risks are higher for babies, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems.

 

Symptoms

Symptoms of measles usually begin 10–14 days after exposure to the virus and include severe flu-like symptoms accompanied by a rash. Complications occur in 3 in 10 who get measles, and young children are especially vulnerable ¹. Complications can include ²:

  • Blindness
  • Encephalitis (an infection causing brain swelling and potentially brain damage)
  • Severe diarrhea and related dehydration
  • Ear infections
  • Severe breathing problems including pneumonia

If a woman catches measles during pregnancy, this can be dangerous for the mother and can result in her baby being born prematurely with a low birth weight.

 

Treatment

Measles is treated by managing symptoms with rest, hydration, and over-the-counter medications like fever reducers. Cod liver oil and other home remedies have not been shown to prevent or cure measles. Natural treatments can be ineffective and might even pose potential risks.

Vitamin A supplements, when necessary and administered by a healthcare provider, can help prevent eye damage and blindness, but they do not prevent or cure measles ². Similarly, antibiotics do not cure measles but might be prescribed to treat pneumonia and ear and eye infections ². The best and only proven way to be protected from measles is through vaccination ¹.

 

Measles Statistics

Before the vaccine was available, measles led to about 500 deaths and 48,000 hospitalizations every year ¹.

  • Ear infections and diarrhea are the most common complications of measles, but as many as 1 in 20 will get pneumonia ¹.
  • About 1 in 1,000 cases will have brain swelling that can cause deafness and intellectual disability ¹.
  • Nearly 3 in 1,000 cases result in death ¹.

Measles vaccination prevented more than 60 million deaths worldwide between 2000 and 2023 ². Getting the vaccine is safer than getting measles. Two doses of MMR vaccine in childhood are about 97% effective at preventing measles, providing long-term and possibly lifelong immunity ¹.

 

What is your immune status?

Some people may not know whether they were vaccinated against measles, or if they received both doses of the vaccine. Others may need proof of immunity for school or work. The good news is, if you are unsure about your immunity or need proof, you can get a simple blood test called a titer test. This test checks if your body still has enough antibodies to fight off the disease. If your immunity is low, you may be eligible for a measles vaccine.

Certain groups of people, such as healthcare workers, travelers, and those born between 1957 and 1989, are at a higher risk and should consider checking their immunity. If you’re in one of these groups or just want peace of mind, talk to your doctor about getting a titer test or booster shot.

Measles isn’t something to take lightly. Keeping yourself and your family up to date on vaccinations is a simple step that can help keep you and those around you safe from this highly contagious disease.

 

REFERENCES
¹ Infectious Disease Society of America. (2024, November 25). Measles vaccination: Know the facts. https://www.idsociety.org/public-health/measles/know-the-facts/.
² World Health Organization. (2024, November 14). Measles. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/measles.