History of measles

What type of pathogen causes measles?

A virus 

Genome type of measles virus?

Single-stranded, negative-sense, non-segmented RNA virus.

Which family is the measles virus in?

Paramyxoviridae

Where did scientists suggest measles evolved from?

Rinderpest virus in cattle.

Primary infection site in the body?

Nose and throat (respiratory epithelium).

Main mode of transmission?

Respiratory droplets + contaminated surfaces

How long does the measles virus remain contagious in the air/on surfaces?

Several hours

How infectious is measles?

90% of susceptible people exposed become infected.

nfectious period timeline?

4 days before rash → 4 days after rash.

Why do outbreaks spread quickly in communities?

Extremely high contagiousness + low immunity.

Incubation period of measles?

10–14 days (no symptoms).

Early (prodrome) symptoms?

Fever, cough, runny nose, conjunctivitis, sore throat.

What unique oral finding helps diagnose measles?

Koplik spots on inner cheek

How does the measles rash spread?

Starts at face, spreads downward to trunk + legs

How high can the fever get?

Up to 104–105.8°F.

Most common serious complication?

Pneumonia

Dangerous brain-related complication?

Encephalitis

Measles infection in children can lead to what long-term sensory loss?

Hearing loss (from ear infections)

Which population saw nearly 95% mortality due to measles + other diseases?

Native Americans after European contact

Why is measles especially dangerous to Pacific Island populations historically?

Low prior exposure → little natural immunity.

What did Panum discover in the Faroe Islands outbreak?

Lifelong immunity after infection

What year did the U.S. begin requiring measles case reporting?

1912

Who isolated the measles virus and when?

Dr. Thomas Peebles, 1954

Why did the U.S. introduce a second MMR dose?

Outbreaks in 1989–91 infected some vaccinated people.

Herd immunity threshold for measles?

92%+ must be vaccinated

When was the first measles vaccine licensed in the U.S.?

1963

What combined vaccine prevents measles?

MMR (measles, mumps, rubella)

What false claim increased vaccine hesitancy?

Fraudulent study linking MMR to autism

When was measles declared eliminated in the U.S.?

2000 — but cases still imported

Where did a major U.S. outbreak occur in 2014?

Disneyland, spread in unvaccinated groups