Measles outbreaks: Unreasonable not be vaccinated

Background: Measles is an exanthematous disease caused by a virus of the genus Morbillivirus, which most often affects children, is a highly contagious, airborne viral disease that can lead to severe complications and death. It is a disease preventable by vaccination.

Methods: We made a review of the literature and epidemiological findings of the actual situation about measles in different countries, now consider as an outbreak in different regions.

Results: The Americas region reports 7,132 confirmed measles cases and 13 deaths through mid-June 2025, according to the latest epidemiological update from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). This number represents a 29-fold increase compared to the 244 cases reported during the same period in 2024.

Until 2019, small outbreaks of measles had been adequately controlled in Mexico. Virtually all cases were considered as imported or by direct exposure to imported cases and were limited through epidemiological containment. In Mexico to 1st July 2025 we have registered 13 deaths, even in healthy patients.

Conclusions: Since 2017 the world was in risk of a re-emergence of measles, we have detected regions with vaccination coverage less than 95%. Now we need to made a hard effort to limit the damage by this disease, and work harder in people that do not want to be vaccinate, because the risk of all the comunnities is high.

Dr. Laura Erika García Carrillo is a pediatric infectious disease specialist, research in infectious disease and vaccines. She holds a Master degree in Sciences from Universidad Autonoma de México, and was graduated atn Instituto Nacional de Pediatrtia as pediatric specialist and infectious disease from Instituto Nacional de Perinatología. Is member of European Society of Pediatric Infectious Disease (ESPID), Sociedad Latinoamericana de Pediatria (SLIPE) y AMIP (asociación Mexicana de Infectología Pediatrica).