Chicago public health officials stress importance of vaccines after 2 cases confirmed in Cook County
Doctors in the Chicago area are keeping a close eye on measles cases, checking to make sure more aren't reported, after the first two cases of the year were confirmed this week in Cook County.
One local agency is stepping up their efforts in the fight against the potentially deadly disease. The Chicago Department of Public Health is increasing the use of public health nurse educators who go to Head Start programs and daycare centers in the city to educate parents and staff about the importance of the measles vaccination.
Dr. Alexander Sloboda, medical director of immunizations at CDPH, said the MMR vaccine is the key to stopping the spread of measles.
"With two doses of that vaccine, it's 97% effective in preventing a measles infection," he said.
Sloboda said his agency has been taking extra steps to spread the word about the importance of getting children vaccinated against this potentially deadly disease, after a measles outbreak that started in Texas has grown to 884 cases nationwide, including three in Illinois – one in Chicago, another in the Cook County suburbs, and a third in southern Illinois.
"We're trying to identify different groups that may have a bit more vaccine hesitancy or lower vaccination rates, and really specifically reach out to those groups and engage with those groups," Sloboda said.
The Chicago Department of Public Health is focusing on children in pre-K settings
"That's daycare, childcare, early childhood education, because if they're 12 months old they should have at least one dose of MMR vaccine," he said.
Sloboda offered insight into why measles cases are on the rise not just nationwide, but around the world.
"Childhood vaccination rates have started to slightly decline, predominantly since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic," he said.
CDPH has increased their efforts when it comes to educating parents and staff at childcare centers about the importance of measles vaccinations.
"Data shows that nine out of ten people that are unvaccinated that are exposed to measles virus will become infected, but thankfully we have the vaccine. So, if you're vaccinated properly, you should have very little to worry about, even if exposed," he said.
Chicago saw its own measles outbreak just last year, with 57 migrants, many of them unvaccinated, testing positive for measles in March and April 2024.
"We had a congregate setting; a shelter where a lot of people were living in a slightly under-vaccinated population, and so that's where measles can quickly spread if people are not fully vaccinated and have that 95% population protection," Sloboda said.
The highly contagious disease can also be deadly. Nationwide this year, two children and one adult have died from the disease.
"You can get lung infections, you can get brain infections from measles, which can lead to complications. So, even if a child survives a measles infection, they could have complications that last the rest of their life as well," Sloboda said.
If you've never been immunized against measles, getting the MMR vaccine before traveling is also very important.
"Usually it takes between two to three weeks for the vaccine to take full effect. You have the vaccine; your body analyzes the vaccine, and then starts building that immunity with the white blood cells, the antibodies; and then by two to three weeks you have that full protection from the vaccine," Sloboda said.
When it comes to full protection, Sloboda said the MMR vaccine offers a lifetime of protection against a person getting measles.
Dr. Mary Hayden, chief of infectious diseases at Rush University Medical Center, said while she doesn't know the details of the two confirmed cases in Cook County, she said, "measles is a concerning infection, because of its contagiousness."
"It's always a concern, but we know that measles has been increasing across the country, so it's not terribly unexpected that we would start to see a few cases here in Chicago," she said.
Hayden said unless someone has had direct exposure to someone with measles, they shouldn't be too concerned about getting infected.
The Chicago Department of Public Health has assembled a list of places where the Chicago patient went and where people might have been exposed.
- Monday, April 21: Fittingly Delicious, 3939 W. Irving Park Rd.
- Tuesday, April 22: O'Hare International Airport, 10 a.m.-8 p.m., especially Terminal 1
- Wednesday, April 23: O'Hare International Airport, 10 a.m.-8 p.m., especially Terminal 1
- Friday, April 25: Aldi: 7235 39th St., Lyons, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
- Sunday, April 27: Shell: 3901 S. Harlem Ave., Stickney, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
- Monday, April 28, Mobil: 2945 S. Harlem Ave, Berwyn, 10:20 a.m.-1 p.m.
CDPH originally listed the Independence Branch of the Chicago Public Library as a measles exposure location on April 21, but on Thursday officials said they have determined the patient did not visit the library on that day. No one who was at the Independence Branch library on April 21 needs to take any additional action to protect themselves from measles.
What are the symptoms of measles?
Symptoms typically begin about seven to 14 days after a person is exposed to the measles virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that the initial symptoms may appear similar to those of many other common viral illnesses, including:
- Fever
- Cough
- Runny nose
- Red eyes
Another characteristic sign is a rash that begins to develop a few days later. A patient's fever may spike to 104 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, the CDC says.
In some cases, serious complications can develop, including pneumonia or encephalitis, a swelling of the brain. Encephalitis may lead to convulsions and can cause deafness or leave a child with a lifelong intellectual disability, health officials warn.
As many as 1 out of every 20 children with measles will develop pneumonia, which the CDC says is the most common cause of death from measles in young children.
Several days after the first symptoms begin, characteristic tiny white spots develop inside the mouth, and a facial rash spreads to the rest of the body.
"If we have somebody who comes in with fever and rash, we will isolate that individual just to protect any other patients who might be in the area, and then test them usually with a swab test or a blood test to try to determine whether or not they have measles, or another infection that might cause rash and fever," Hayden said.
There is no specific therapy for measles, so medical care is supportive and focused on relieving the symptoms of the virus, such as keeping patients hydrated, and giving them Tylenol to treat their fever and headache.
Measles immune amnesia
Measles can also impact someone's immunity long after the infection is gone in a process called "immune amnesia," which can last months to a couple of years.
The virus can damage the immune system, Gounder recently explained, raising the risk of other infections even after the person has recovered.
"Measles infects immune cells, and when it does so, it damages immune cells and it partially wipes out your immune system's memory to certain infections, so that leaves you more susceptible to getting some of those infections," she said. "The best thing is not to get measles in the first place, and the best way to do that is to get vaccinated."
