The Study of the Resurgence of Measles, a Vaccine-Preventable Illness, and How Present Concerns Differ from Earlier Expectations of Measles Eradication

  • Zahraa Al-Kheroo University of Mosul, Iraq
  • Allyaa Al-abase University of Mosul, Iraq
  • Mahmood Altobje University of Mosul, Iraq
Keywords: Vaccination Hesitancy, Measles, MMR Vaccine, Review

Abstract

This article demonstrates how measles, a vaccine-preventable viral illness, moved from being eradicated to resurgent in less than 40 years. Several factors have contributed to a "perfect storm" of increasing measles infections, fatalities, and hospitalizations throughout the world at this time, particularly in wealthier nations like Europe. The present rise in measles infections in 2024 is connected to decades of erroneous assertions about vaccinations' detrimental effects, such as vaccine hesitancy and complacency, decreased childhood vaccination rates in the aftermath of the COVID-19 epidemic, and a bogus link to autism. It is critical that all countries quickly adopt public health and primary care initiatives, as well as take efforts to promote awareness about the dangers of measles and the significance of following vaccine regimens.

References

World Health Organization, "Rapid measles outbreak response critical to protect millions of vulnerable children," WHO News, Feb. 22, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/22-02-2024-rapid-measles-outbreak-response-critical-to-protect-millions-of-vulnerable-children

F. M. Guerra, S. Bolotin, G. Lim, et al., "The basic reproduction number (R0) of measles: A systematic review," Lancet Infect. Dis., vol. 17, no. 12, pp. e420–e428, 2017.

World Health Organization, "Measles," WHO Factsheet, Aug. 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/measles

G. Rodriguez-Nava, D. P. Trelles-Garcia, M. A. Yanez-Bello, et al., "MMR vaccine adverse drug reactions reports in the CDC WONDER System, 1989–2019," Open Forum Infect. Dis., vol. 7, no. 8, ofaa211, 2020.

World Health Organization, "Measles vaccines: WHO position paper, April 2017 – Recommendations," Vaccine, vol. 37, no. 2, pp. 219–222, 2019.

J. Hübschen, I. Gouandjika-Vasilache, and J. Dina, "Measles," Lancet, vol. 399, pp. 678–679, 2022.

H. Koplik, "The diagnosis of the invasion of measles from a study of the exanthema as it appears on the buccal mucous membrane," Arch. Pediatr., vol. 13, pp. 918–922, 1896.

D. H. Parums, "A review of measles resurgence," Med. Sci. Monit., vol. 30, e944436, 2024.

J. J. Dunn, F. Baldanti, E. Puchhammer, M. Panning, O. Perez, and H. Harvala, "Measles is back–considerations for laboratory diagnosis," J. Clin. Virol., vol. 128, 104430, 2020.

C. J. Hickman, T. B. Hyde, S. B. Sowers, et al., "Laboratory characterization of measles virus infection in previously vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals," J. Infect. Dis., vol. 204, suppl. 1, pp. S549–S558, 2011.

F. L. Black, "Measles endemicity in insular populations: critical community size and its evolutionary implication," J. Theor. Biol., vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 207–211, 1966.

H. Koplik, "The diagnosis of the invasion of measles from a study of the exanthema as it appears on the buccal mucous membrane," Arch. Pediatr., vol. 13, pp. 918–922, 1896.

A. B. Wilder-Smith and K. Qureshi, "Resurgence of measles in Europe: A systematic review on parental attitudes and beliefs of measles vaccine," J. Epidemiol. Glob. Health., vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 46–58, 2020.

J. B. Rosen, J. S. Rota, C. J. Hickman, et al., "Outbreak of measles among persons with prior evidence of immunity, New York City, 2011," Clin. Infect. Dis., vol. 58, pp. 1205, 2014.

M. J. Mina, C. J. E. Metcalf, R. L. de Swart, A. D. M. E. Osterhaus, and B. T. Grenfell, "Long-term measles-induced immunomodulation increases overall childhood infectious disease mortality," Science, vol. 348, no. 6235, pp. 694–699, 2015.

M. J. Mina, T. Kula, Y. Leng, et al., "Measles virus infection diminishes preexisting antibodies that offer protection from other pathogens," Science, vol. 366, pp. 599, 2019.

E. Blutinger, G. Schmitz, C. Kang, et al., "Measles: Contemporary considerations for the emergency physician," J. Am. Coll. Emerg. Physicians Open, vol. 4, no. 5, e13032, 2023.

S. K. Jafri, Y. Husen, K. Ahmed, and S. H. Ibrahim, "Spectrum of MRI brain findings in subacute sclerosing panencephalitis," Asia Pac. J. Clin. Trials Nerv. Syst. Dis., vol. 2, no. 4, pp. 124, 2017.

R. K. Garg, A. Mahadevan, H. S. Malhotra, et al., "Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis," Rev. Med. Virol., vol. 29, no. 5, e2058, 2019.

K. A. Wendorf, K. Winter, J. Zipprich, et al., "Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis: the devastating measles complication that might be more common than previously estimated," Clin. Infect. Dis., vol. 65, no. 2, pp. 226–232, 2017.

M. Z. Hossin, "International migration and health: It is time to go beyond conventional theoretical frameworks," BMJ Glob. Health., vol. 5, no. 2, e001938, 2020.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Vaccines and preventable disease: Who should get MMR vaccine?" Jan. 26, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/mmr/public/index.html

S. Choi, J. W. Chung, Y. J. Chang, et al., "A lesson from a measles outbreak among healthcare workers in a single hospital in South Korea: The importance of knowing the prevalence of susceptibility," Vaccines (Basel), vol. 11, no. 9, 1505, 2023.

E. Conis, "Measles and the modern history of vaccination," Public Health Rep., vol. 134, no. 2, pp. 118–125, 2019.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "School immunization requirements for measles – United States, 1982," MMWR Morb. Mortal. Wkly. Rep., vol. 31, no. 6, pp. 65–67, 1982.

S. L. Katz and A. R. Hinman, "Summary and conclusions: Measles elimination meeting, 16–17 March 2000," J. Infect. Dis., vol. 189, suppl. 1, pp. S43–S47, 2004.

W. A. Orenstein, M. J. Papania, and M. E. Wharton, "Measles elimination in the United States," J. Infect. Dis., vol. 189, suppl. 1, pp. S1–S3, 2004.

A. J. Wakefield, S. H. Murch, A. Anthony, et al., "RETRACTED: Ileal-lymphoid-nodular hyperplasia, non-specific colitis, and pervasive developmental disorder in children," Lancet, vol. 351, no. 9103, pp. 637–641, 1998.

European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, "Measles on the rise in the European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA): Considerations for public health response," Stockholm: ECDC, Feb. 16, 2024. [Online].

Department of Health UK, "NHS Public Health Functions Agreement 2015–2016: Service Specification No.10. Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) Immunisation Programme," 2014. [Online].

World Health Organization, "The big catch-up: An essential immunization recovery plan for 2023 and beyond," Jul. 26, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240075511

Immunization Agenda 2030, "Partnership Council Alliance." [Online]. Available: https://www.immunizationagenda2030.org

World Health Organization, "Immediate and targeted catch-up vaccination needed to avert measles resurgence," WHO Europe, Oct. 2023. [Online].

Immunization Agenda 2030, "Partnership Council Alliance." [Online].

World Health Organization, "Immediate and targeted catch-up vaccination needed to avert measles resurgence," WHO Europe, Oct. 2023. [Online].

Published
2025-05-31
How to Cite
Al-Kheroo, Z., Al-abase, A., & Altobje, M. (2025). The Study of the Resurgence of Measles, a Vaccine-Preventable Illness, and How Present Concerns Differ from Earlier Expectations of Measles Eradication. Central Asian Journal of Medical and Natural Science, 6(3), 1169-1176. https://doi.org/10.17605/cajmns.v6i3.2813
Section
Articles