Although measles’ grip on West Texas has eased, case counts in the country are the highest since the viral infection was declared eliminated in the U.S. by the World Health Organization in 2000.
For measles, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines elimination as the absence of endemic measles transmission for a period of 12 months or more in the presence of an adequate surveillance system. As of July 29, 1,333 cases had been reported nationally. An American Medical Association Public Health Minute reel cites the risk of reestablishment of the illness in the U.S. as greater than 50%.
More than half of the country’s cases this year, at least 796, have occurred in Texas, with 762 of those cases linked to the West Texas outbreak. While the in-state threat has lessened, it hasn’t dissipated completely – as of late July, one northeast Texas county, Lamar, remained in the state’s designated outbreak area, signaling ongoing transmission of measles, and Austin Public Health reported traces of measles in the city’s wastewater.
In January, when measles was reported in Gaines County, CDC had paused external communications. Looking to provide information as the outbreak gained traction in March, the Texas Medical Association and Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) co-presented a CME webinar. Physicians can still earn CME and review the session, detailing measles’ clinical presentation, immunization protocols, testing types and locations, infection control precautions, and information on measles treatment and postexposure prophylaxis.
Varun Shetty, MD, DSHS chief state epidemiologist, cited lapses in vaccines as driving the historical shift.
“Measles is a disease that we have not seen in high numbers in many, many years because of the success of our vaccination programs. But because of the way that our vaccine coverage has trended over the last 20 years or so, there are more and more opportunities for measles to spread in our communities,” Dr. Shetty told Texas Medicine Today in March.
In a webinar presented by the Texas Epidemic Public Health Institute this month, Katherine Wells, DrPH, Lubbock’s director of public health, emphasized the importance of outreach to communities with low vaccination rates as well as sharing information with neighboring jurisdictions, schools, and other community institutions,
“Measles doesn’t just stay within county lines or regional lines,” she said. “Early communication with schools and day cares made a huge difference with this outbreak and really helped keep the schools on board when we started to see cases in those facilities.”
With public health funding in flux at national, regional and local levels, the TMA Foundation invites member physician practices, county medical societies, TMA Alliance chapters, and medical student chapters to apply for a Vaccines Defend What Matters local impact grant of up to $3,500.
Grant awardees can use the funds for vaccine education and to host immunization clinics in their communities. The deadline to apply for the current cycle of grants is Aug. 22. Grant recipients have up to 12 months from receipt, which would occur in late September to early October, to use all awarded funds.
Stay up to date on measles in Texas by visiting TMA’s Combating Measles Resource Center.
Jessica Ridge
Reporter, Division of Communications and Marketing
(512) 370-1395