Guest column provided by Parkview Health:
Measles spreads fast and can cause serious complications
Vaccines are highly effective, but children don’t usually receive first dose until they are 12 months old.From Parkview Health
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- New cases of measles have recently been confirmed in northeast Indiana
- About 1-in-10 patients require hospitalization, with higher rate among children
- Claims linking autism to MMR vaccines have been widely discredited
Fort Wayne, Indiana (October 7, 2026) – Measles is one of the most contagious viruses known to mankind, and residents in northeast Indiana should be aware of the symptoms and risks after local cases continue to emerge.
The good news is that the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine is highly effective at preventing measles infections. Still, young children remain at the highest risk as they do not routinely receive their first dose until 12 months of age.
As of Oct. 6, health officials have confirmed 26 cases of measles statewide, including three in Adams County, two in LaGrange County and one each in Allen and DeKalb counties. That’s part of a nationwide resurgence, with nearly 3,900 cases confirmed so far in 2026, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Measles is one of the most contagious diseases we know of, mostly because of its makeup,” said Dr. Robyn Schmucker, Parkview Physicians Group – Pediatric Infectious Diseases. “It can remain in rooms for up to two hours after the infected person leaves. Up to 90% of non-immune people will become infected if exposed.”
Infection starts in the lungs, Schmucker said. Measles patients will first exhibit the “3 Cs” – cough, coryza (runny nose) and conjunctivitis (red eyes), and usually run a fever within two to three days after. The iconic red rash typically appears about five days after the start of respiratory symptoms.
About 1-in-10 people who contracted measles in 2026 have required hospitalization, according to the CDC, although that rate is higher among children under age 5. Rare but serious complications can include encephalitis – swelling of the brain that may cause deafness or intellectual disability. Since the start of 2025, five people have died from measles.
“In most cases, rest, fluids and staying home are the best medicine,” Schmucker said. “If your child is having trouble breathing, refusing to eat or drink, or has a change in mental status, take them to the emergency room.”
Prevention is the best protection against measles, and the MMR vaccine is highly effective. Universal vaccination of children starting in the 1960s led to a drop from about a half million cases per year on average to less than 5,000 per year by the 1980s. Measles was declared eradicated in 2000 and the U.S. saw fewer than 200 cases per year most years following. But measles has resurfaced recently, with the U.S. recording 2,289 cases in 2025 and the year-to-date count in 2026 hitting the highest one-year mark since 1991.
The MMR vaccine is delivered to children in two doses, with the first given at 12 months old and the second at 4 years old. One dose of vaccine provides 93% effectiveness in preventing a measles infection, while the second dose boosts that protection level to 97%, according to the CDC.
“Any child born after 1991 should have received the two MMR vaccines and be immune,” Schmucker said. “During a measles outbreak, MMR can be given to infants as young as 6 months of age. This dose does not count toward the two-dose series.”
Although children are at highest risk, adults may also be susceptible to measles if they have not been previously vaccinated or if they are immunocompromised.
“It wasn’t until 1989 that physicians began recommending that kids get two measles vaccines to protect them against the virus. If you were born before 1991, it’s important to check with your medical provider to confirm you are immune,” Schmucker said.
The MMR vaccine has most commonly been associated with claims that vaccines cause autism, although the decades-old study that made that assertion has since been discredited and numerous follow-up research has shown no causal link. Other home remedies or supplement suggestions circulating online claiming they can prevent measles also are not clinically proven and can cause harm to a child if given incorrectly, Schmucker said.
If parents have questions about measles, they are encouraged to reach out to their family physician for more information.
“We do have populations that are unimmunized, so it’s important to be aware of the risks,” Schmucker said. “Those who are infected are contagious often before symptoms present. If you think you or your child has been exposed to measles, contact your doctor right away and don’t go out in public (including the ER) unless you know you are immune.”
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