measles: Quick Facts

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Last updated

Nov. 14, 2026

News •

How Many Measles Cases Are in the U.S.? A 35-Year High Puts Elimination Status at Risk • Nov. 12, 2026, 2:20 PM ET (U.S. News & World Report)

An Investigational Drug to Tackle Measles Outbreaks • Nov. 11, 2026, 8:24 AM ET (The Detroit News)

Child dies of measles in Wisconsin's first such death since 1990 • Nov. 5, 2026, 2:48 PM ET (AP)

Facts

Also Known As	rubeola

Photos and Videos

Close-up of a person's torso showing a widespread red, blotchy rash characteristic of measles, with hands pulling up a green shirt to expose the skin.

Three line graphs display the dramatic decline in reported cases of diphtheria, polio, and measles in the United States from 1920 to 2019, each showing a sharp drop after the introduction of their respective vaccines. Diphtheria cases fell after 1921, polio after 1955, and measles after 1963, illustrating the impact of mass vaccination programs. An inset highlights an increase in measles cases after 2010.

Infographic showing estimated lives saved by childhood vaccinations worldwide from 1974 to 2024, with syringe-shaped bars for each disease. Measles tops the list at 93.71 million lives saved, followed by tetanus, whooping cough, and others, for a total of 153.84 million lives saved.

A chart showing the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended immunization schedule for children from birth to 6 years, listing vaccines and timing for each dose across a timeline, with color-coded markers for standard and high-risk recommendations.

Gloved hands draw liquid from a vial into a syringe, overlaid on a digitally colored microscopic image of a virus with round particles in clusters.

Find out from Dr. Tina Tan of Northwestern University why adult vaccination against various types of diseases is important

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Topics

Koplik spot Morbillivirus MR vaccine subacute sclerosing panencephalitis MMRV vaccine Measles cases hit 33-year high in the United States notifiable disease MMR vaccine paramyxovirus human disease nutritional disease AIDS malaria polio diabetes mellitus tuberculosis Alzheimer disease influenza smallpox breast cancer

Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic

infectious disease: Measles (rubeola) vaccine

Key People

Maurice Hilleman

Maurice Hilleman

American microbiologist

Baillou, detail of an oil painting by an unknown artist, c. 1580

Guillaume de Baillou

French physician

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