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According to various health departments located on the East Coast of the United States, there have been several confirmed reports of measles infections in early 2024.
As of January 16, 2024, the Philadelphia Department of Public Health reported a measles cluster among eight unvaccinated residents.
Across the river from Philadelphia, the Camden County, New Jersey Health Department announced on January 13, 2023, that it was closely monitoring a measles case of a child who attended daycare.
On January 13, 2024, the Virginia Department of Health was notified of a confirmed case of measles in a person who traveled through Dulles and Reagan airports when returning from international travel.
Furthermore, the Delaware Division of Public Health reported on January 11, 2024, a potential measles exposure at the Nemours Children's Hospital in Wilmington. An investigation has identified up to 30 people exposed to the infectious individual in late December 2023.
Most measles cases in the U.S. are related to international travel, says the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In 2023, there were 48 measles cases confirmed in twenty U.S. jurisdictions.
Last year, the CDC published a global Watch-Level 1, Practice Usual Precautions, Travel Health Notice in 2023, identifying measles outbreaks in 47 countries.
As of January 12, 2024, the CDC listed the top ten measles outbreaks led by Yemen and India over the past year.
Measles is a vaccine-preventable disease, says the CDC. A highly contagious virus causes it. The measles virus can live for up to two hours in an airspace after an infected person leaves an area. Moreover, people can spread measles up to four days before and four days after a rash.
Most clinics and pharmacies in the U.S. offer measles vaccination services.
A recent article published by the journal Science Direct highlights the importance of responses to public health emergencies, such as the increasing number of yellow fever (YF) cases in the Federative Republic of Brazil.
In a March 2024 article, researchers compared the detection and phylogenetic analysis of the YF virus in two neotropical primates (monkey), a Callithrix detected in the previous epidemic period (2016–2020) and a Callicebus nigrifons, which showed a new introduction of YF virus in Brazil during 2023.
In 2022, the Pan American Health Organization confirmed Brazil reported four deaths related to yellow fever infections.
Mosquitoes that transmit the yellow fever virus can be found throughout the Amazon and along most river basins in Brazil.
Evidence of an expanded range of yellow fever transmission in Brazil led the WHO and the U.S. CDC to broaden their vaccination coverage recommendations in 2017.
Since Brazil is a favorite destination for millions of international travelers, the U.S. CDC says travelers to Brazil should be updated on routine vaccines, including the YF vaccine.
YF vaccination is recommended for most travelers going to the states of Acre, Amapá, Amazonas, Distrito Federal (including the capital city, Brasília), Espírito Santo, Goiás, Maranhão, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Pará, Paraná, Piauí, Rio de Janeiro (including the city of Rio de Janeiro and all coastal islands), Rio Grande do Sul,* Rondônia, Roraima, Santa Catarina, São Paulo (including the city of São Paulo and all coastal islands), Tocantins, and designated areas of Bahia.
The CDC's expanded YF vaccination recommendations for these states are preliminary. For updates, refer to the CDC Travelers' Health website.
"Even if your travel plans to Brazil are limited to popular urban areas like São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro, you are still at risk for yellow fever infection because the mosquito variety that carries the yellow fever virus has adapted to live in cities and bites during the day time," says Jeri Beales MSN RN, with Destination Health, located near Boston, MA.
"The good news is the yellow fever vaccine is very effective at preventing infections, and it protects for at least ten years, with some people only needing a single lifetime dose," added Beales.
Although Brazil does not require proof of vaccination against yellow fever for entry into the country, people planning to travel to other countries in South America (e.g., Colombia) could be required to show proof of yellow fever vaccination before exiting Brazil.
As of January 16, 2024, several yellow fever vaccines have been authorized by various countries. In the U.S., the YF-VAX® vaccine is available at travel clinics.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently reissued its Level 2 - Practice Enhanced Precautions Global Polio notice.
As of January 5, 2024, the CDC's Travel Health Notice confirmed that polio and poliovirus are health risks in about thirty-one countries that have recently reported outbreaks.
The CDC says that adults who previously completed the whole, routine polio vaccine series may receive a single, lifetime booster dose of the polio vaccine before traveling to any of these destinations.
Any other traveler should ensure they are up-to-date on their polio vaccination schedule.
In the U.S., the IPV vaccine has been deployed since 2000.
Jeri Beales, MSN RN at Destination Health Travel Clinic in Natick, MA, 01760, told Precision Vaccinations, "It's a common misconception that polio has been eradicated worldwide. We forget that polio is still out there because cases are so rare in the U.S. Decades of vaccination efforts in the U.S. have kept infections at bay; still, sadly, polio has regained a foothold in various countries."
"So, if you have plans to travel to a country experiencing a polio outbreak, you may be putting yourself and your family at risk. Adults need to receive a one-time additional dose of polio before traveling to any high-risk countries because the vaccines you received as a child may no longer be protective. Like a lot of vaccines, the effectiveness wears off with time."
"And don't forget, if you're traveling with children, check with their pediatrician to ensure they are up-to-date on their polio immunizations.
In late 2023, the WHO announced that the risk of the international spread of poliovirus remains a Public Health Emergency of International Concern and recommended its extension and Temporary Recommendations for three months.
According to the CDC, most people with polio do not feel sick. Some people have only minor symptoms, such as fever, tiredness, nausea, headache, nasal congestion, sore throat, cough, neck and back stiffness, and arm and leg pain.
However, in rare cases, polio infection causes permanent loss of muscle function. Polio can be fatal if the muscles used for breathing are paralyzed or if there is an infection of the brain.
Note: This news article was updated with the provider's perspective on Jan.16, 2024.
The Annals of Internal Medicine recently confirmed the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to approve the Recommended Adult Immunization Schedule for Ages 19 Years or Older.
The 2024 adult immunization schedule summarizes the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ACIP recommendations in the cover page, tables, notes, appendix, and addendum.
The complete ACIP recommendations for each vaccine are available at this CDC link.
As of January 12, 2024, the new schedule has also been approved by the director of the CDC and by the American College of Physicians, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American College of Nurse-Midwives, the American Academy of Physician Associates, the American Pharmacists Association, and the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America.
According to recent reports out of the states of Pennsylvania and Washington, measles outbreaks have been confirmed in potentially unvaccinated people in 2024.
On January 12, 2024, the Philadelphia Health Department confirmed eight measles cases spanning 2023 and 2024.
Health agencies alerted healthcare providers in the northwest after six measles cases were identified in Clark and Wahkiakum counties in Washington.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that since the United States has such a high measles vaccination rate, most measles cases are related to international travelers.
Last year, ten countries reported over 90% of all measles cases worldwide, led by Yemen and India.
During 2023, a total of 48 measles cases were reported by twenty U.S. jurisdictions. The CDC did not disclose the vaccination status of the measles cases.
The good news from the CDC is that various measles vaccines (MMR) are available in 2024, generally available at clinics and pharmacies in the U.S.
Furthermore, before heading abroad in 2024, the CDC publishes this digital app to help travelers determine whether or not they need MMR vaccination before departure.
As the influenza and Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) seasons diminish in the U.S., world leaders express their disappointment with respiratory disease vaccination rates.
"Too many people are in need of serious medical care for flu, for COVID, when we can prevent it," said Maria Van Kerkhove, the World Health Organization's interim director of epidemic and pandemic preparedness, as reported by Reuters on January 12, 204.
Kerhove cited "incredibly low" vaccination rates against flu and COVID-19 in many countries this season.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) latest data, the percentage of the population reporting receipt of COVID-19, influenza, and RSV vaccines remains low for adults.
- The updated 2023-24 COVID-19 vaccine is 21.4% for adults 18+, including 41.5% for adults 65+.
- Influenza vaccination is 46.8% for adults 18+, including 74.1% among adults 65+.
- RSV vaccinations for adults over 60 years of age is 20.1%.
As of January 12, 2024, the CDC recommends that all six months and older stay current on COVID-19 and receive a seasonal flu vaccine.
Furthermore, if you are 60 years and older, talk to a healthcare provider to see if RSV vaccination is proper for you this season.
These reportatory vaccines are generally available at U.S.-based pharmacies.
For new mothers, the extended half-life monoclonal antibody Beyfortus™ offers passive immunization for infants and young children to prevent lower respiratory tract infections caused by RSV.
Beyfortus was recently approved for use in China, and the manufacturers have committed to deliver significant quantities to the U.S. in 2024.
