Brief Update On the Measles Outbreak: Check Your MMR Titers
A small tip that everyone can and should do, even the already-vaccinated.
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There is an ongoing, large outbreak of measles in West Texas. It continues to grow, with 146 cases and 20 hospitalizations currently reported. Last week, an unvaccinated child became the the first U.S. measles death since 2015. There are an additional nine cases reported in New Mexico, and in an unrelated cluster, there are two additional cases in New York.
Vaccination rates for all vaccines are declining across the United States (below). While it is my personal recommendation to follow the recommendation vaccine schedule, I’m not going to belabor this point here. Rather I want to suggest something that all people can and should do.
Next time you’re at the doctor, ask to have your MMR antibody titers checked. Antibodies are one of our first lines of defense when exposed to a pathogen and having a sufficiently high level of them can prevent an infection entirely or reduce its severity. Both vaccination and prior infection should induce robust antibody levels in the vast majority of people, but for some, they will decline over time.
A simple blood test will determine the levels of your antibodies against measles, mumps, and rubella. If your levels are high, no action is needed. But if you have low MMR titers, discuss with your doctor about getting an MMR booster vaccine.
Measles is highly contagious and if there are ongoing outbreaks, exposure is quite possible. If exposed, high levels of antibodies can prevent an infection or reduce its severity. Get your antibody titers checked.