Chicago doctor concerned about Texas measles outbreak
A measles outbreak in the U.S. as of Monday had grown to nearly 100 cases — primarily affecting children and teenagers in Texas, with nine cases also in New Mexico.
There are worries that the outbreak will spread to more states, and doctors have told one very specific group Americans they actually need a measles booster shot.
As a Chicago doctor explained, people born after 1957, but vaccinated before 1968, may not have the best immunity from infection — because vaccines at that time were not as effective.
CBS News Chicago also asked Dr. Satina Wheat, a family physician at Northwestern Medicine, how likely it is that the outbreak will spread to Chicago.
In the Texas outbreak, that state's health department has reported at least 16 hospitalizations in the outbreak, as of Feb. 21. In some cases, measles can cause severe infections in the lungs and brain that can lead to cognitive issues, deafness or death.
Nearly all those infected in Texas were unvaccinated.
"Although it is down south and far away, we do know that measles is very contagious," said Dr. Wheat.
If someone has not been vaccinated, Wheat is worried. She said measles starts out like many upper respiratory viral infections — fever, runny nose, sore throat, runny eyes — but the infection then progresses to white spots on the mouth, and the defining sign of a rash on the body.
Chicago saw its own measles outbreak just last year — affecting in particular the migrant shelter in operation at the time in Pilsen. Chicago had 64 confirmed measles cases in March and April 2024.
Public health officials confirmed Chicago's first case of measles since 2019 on March 7, 2024. The next day, the city saw its first measles case at the since-closed Pilsen migrant shelter at 2241 S. Halsted St.
A total of 57 migrants at the shelter ended up testing positive for measles during March and April last year. At the time, the Pilsen shelter was the city's largest shelter for asylum seekers, with approximately 1,900 migrants living there.
In 2023, there were only five measles cases in Illinois and none of them were in Chicago — but those were the first in the state since 2019.
"We learned some lessons on how to identify it, on how to get testing taken care of," said Dr. Wheat.
Dr. Wheat said the MMR vaccine against measles, mumps, and rubella is highly effective and safe, and most kids get in two doses. They receive the first when they are 12 to 15 months old, and the second when they are heading off to kindergarten around 4 to 6 years old.
"Though I do still worry about the people who don't have vaccines against this virus," Wheat said.
Dr. Wheat said highly contagious measles is spreading in Texas because families live in tight-knit communities and do not want to get the vaccine.
She said people who does not know if they were vaccinated should reach out to their doctors.
"I'm thankful to say I have not seen measles," Wheat said. "I really hope to keep it that way."
Dr. Wheat says the virus can stay in the air of a room for two hours.
Doctors say those who are immunocompromised should not get the vaccine. Those who are pregnant, got another vaccine, or are severely ill should wait to get one.
