Measles Within the United States

Within the past 5 years the growth of various anti-vaccination movements have caused public discussion and worry about the topic of vaccination. In a recent CDC nationwide survey, the amount of kindergarteners with all applicable vaccines varied state by state with coverage as low as 84% in some states to coverage over 99% in other states (with 26 states reporting that they have not met the federally recommended targets of 95% coverage). The recent measles outbreaks across the nation have brought the subject of vaccine avoidance to national discussion.
Measles within the United States – A Brief History
The measles vaccine program was initiated in 1963 nationwide. Before the program began, an estimated 3 million people contracted measles annually. Of that number, over 400 died, over 48,000 were hospitalized, and over 4,000 developed encephalitis from the measles illness. In 2000, the CDC declared that Measles had been eliminated within the United States. In 2014, the United States experienced 23 separate measles outbreaks for a combined total of over 600 cases (383 of these cases occurred among unvaccinated communities in Ohio).
Worldwide, measles is still extremely common and is often devastating among unvaccinated populations. An estimated 20 million people contract measles each year and 146,000 people die annually from the disease (approximately 17 people an hour).