Until this year, Dr. Leila Myrick, a family medicine doctor based in Seminole, Texas, had never encountered a case of measles. Her medical education did not emphasize the virus, and she recalls flipping through textbooks to reacquaint herself with the characteristic red rash displayed in practice board exams. “Most practicing doctors, in today’s day and age, are not going to see it in real life,” she noted. However, in recent months, Dr. Myrick has treated approximately 20 patients infected with measles, and she anticipates an increase in cases as a significant outbreak continues across Texas.
The ongoing outbreak has resulted in 481 confirmed cases of measles in Texas alone, with one tragic fatality reported. The situation is not isolated; similar outbreaks have emerged in New Mexico and other regions of the United States. Healthcare professionals like Dr. Myrick are now confronting the highly contagious virus for the first time, highlighting a concerning trend in public health.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there have been 607 confirmed cases of measles in the U.S. this year, which is more than double the total number of cases reported in 2024. “The generation of physicians who are currently, for the most part, treating patients haven’t actually seen what a measles case looks like other than from a textbook or a video,” expressed Dr. Andy Lubell, chief medical officer of True North Pediatrics in Pennsylvania. This month, his practice diagnosed its very first measles case.
Measles was declared eliminated in the United States in the year 2000. However, sporadic cases continue to emerge each year, occasionally leading to larger outbreaks. Public health experts are becoming increasingly concerned that this year may see a rise in measles cases across the country due to declining vaccination rates. “I remember learning about measles, German measles, all these things,” noted Dr. Seth Coombs, who encountered his first measles case this year at the Lovington Medical Clinic in New Mexico. “But you just don’t see them. And so like anything, if you don’t use it, you lose it.”
Recognizing measles can be challenging, particularly if healthcare professionals do not consider it as a potential diagnosis. The infection typically presents with a distinctive red rash, but this rash may take several days to manifest. Prior to the appearance of the rash, an infected individual may experience symptoms such as fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes—symptoms that are often mistaken for other viral infections.
As the outbreak continues to unfold, it underscores the critical importance of awareness and vigilance among healthcare providers regarding measles. The resurgence of this preventable disease serves as a reminder of the efficacy and necessity of vaccinations in protecting public health.
