In this Mayo Clinic Minute, Dr. Angela Mattke, a pediatrician with Mayo Clinic’s Children’s Center, explains how Mayo Clinic is leading the way to enhance health literacy for kids through engaging books to inform and inspire young people.

Watch: The Mayo Clinic Minute

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video (1:07) is in the downloads at the end of this post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Read the script.

Developing personal health literacy — which is the ability to find, understand, and use health-related information and services — is something that can begin early in life.

"Mayo Clinic is truly an expert in healthcare. And we have an opportunity to be there talking with children, getting them excited about their health and empowering them to have agency over their own health and the health of their communities," says Dr. Mattke.

Dr. Mattke says these types of books provide accessible information on a wide range of health and science-related topics.

"I think there's a lot of health topics that children struggle to understand — anything from immunizations to why they're feeling sick, especially when children have serious and complex diseases," says Dr. Mattke.

Understanding their disease can help them feel empowered and knowledgeable about how they can participate in their care. But it's not just kids with serious health conditions that can benefit from this education.

"My children have read all these books and have read them multiple and multiple times. And so, they can help understand these diseases. It's inspiring their passion to learn more about science and learn more about health," says Dr. Mattke.

Which is another goal of promoting health literacy in children.

"We need to get kids interested in STEM — science, engineering, technology and medicine. And these are really important topics. And so, we're bringing these topics to kids to get them interested at an early age and inspire that passion.," says Dr. Mattke.

The post Mayo Clinic Minute: Boosting kids’ health literacy appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Watch: Braxton Wohlferd's story

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video (3:19) is in the downloads at the end of this post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Read the script.

Wetting a line and catching fish is just one of the many passions of young teen Braxton Wohlferd.

"Whatever they like to bite is what I like to throw," Braxton says. "I just like the aspect of being outdoors and just hanging out with people and having fun."

But earlier this year, this healthy, athletic high schooler from St. Charles, Minnesota, had his world turned upside down in a flash.

"He called frantically," says Melissa Wohlferd, Braxton's mother.

It was the morning after his 16^th birthday. Braxton thought he had the stomach flu. He was vomiting. Suddenly, it got much worse.

"I was like, 'You need to get home. Something's not right,'" Braxton says.

His mom, Melissa, a registered nurse, arrived moments later. "And he was lying on the floor, and his hands and feet were mottling," she says.

"My hands were turning, like, blue, almost. And then we tried to come upstairs, and I collapsed on the third stair," Braxton says.

"He said, 'Mom, I just can't do it. I can't catch my breath. My chest hurts,'" Melissa says.

Braxton was rushed to the Emergency Department at Mayo Clinic. Not long after he arrived, he went into cardiac arrest. Life-saving CPR was performed until Braxton was put on a life support machine.

"I believe it was 22 minutes, full chest compressions. His heart never beat again," Melissa says.

But why?

"Completely healthy and then, within a blink of an eye, he's hooked up to every machine possible, keeping him alive," Melissa says.

Doctors at Mayo soon solved the mystery — a common childhood illness called parvovirus B19, also known as fifth disease.

"The majority of people who get parvovirus may not even know that they've had it," says Dr. Rebecca Ameduri, medical director of the Pediatric Heart Failure and Heart Transplant Program at Mayo Clinic. "Most people, when they get parvovirus, will just have kind of common cold effects and will not have severe side effects like Braxton did."

Braxton's body had an extremely rare reaction to the virus causing his own immune system to attack and break down his heart muscle. "They said it was more likely to get struck by lightning," Melissa says.

"Sometimes, in cases like Braxton, it's what we call fulminant myocarditis, where it happens very rapidly, where those children can deteriorate in less than 24 hours," says Dr. Ameduri.

Braxton's only option was a heart transplant. "It was just so scary," Melissa says.

In less than a week, a miracle occurs. A donor heart arrives. "It was a perfect match for Braxton," Melissa says.

And a heart transplant performed by Mayo Clinic surgeons is a success. "It's kind of surreal to think that I'm still here," Braxton says.

"Without that organ donor, Braxton would not be here," Melissa says.

"Thank you doesn't even cover what I'd like to say. It's unbelievable. It's a selfless act that they give their organs away," Braxton says.

The virus also affected Braxton's legs, causing a condition known as compartment syndrome, which required emergency surgery to remove some of his leg muscles.

"I feel great. Feel like I'm getting my strength back, and I'm gonna keep working at it and plan on keep getting stronger," Braxton says.

Braxton hopes to be back playing baseball next year and planning plenty of future fishing trips.

"I don't know how many other people would have went through this and survived," Braxton says. "They said I was very lucky, I'm a miracle. And I feel like I'm a miracle."

Related stories:

• Mayo Clinic expert explains parvovirus B19, a common childhood infection
• Mayo Clinic Minute: What is myocarditis?

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Cases of pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough, continue to rise in the U.S.  New numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show nearly 18,000 cases through Oct. 5.  While that is somewhat in line with pre-pandemic numbers, it's a large increase from the same period last year when there were just under 4,000 cases.

Whooping cough is an infectious respiratory illness caused by Bordetella pertussis bacteria. It spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. 

"This is an infection that causes quite a significant cough," says Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse, a pediatric infectious diseases expert with the Mayo Clinic Children's Center. "It can start like a cold with some runny nose, which then turns into a cough."

Watch: Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse explains pertussis, or whopping cough

Journalists: Broadcast-quality sound bites with Dr. Rajapakse are available in the downloads at the end of the post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Name super/CG: Nipunie Rajapakse, M.D./Pediatric Infectious Diseases/Mayo Clinic.

The infection is characterized by a severe hacking cough followed by a high-pitched intake of breath that sounds like "whoop."

"Generally, the kids who have it can have bouts of coughing where they can't catch their breath. And then after the coughing is finished, they take a big, deep breath to catch their breath from it, and that's where that whooping sound comes from," Dr. Rajapakse says.

Early symptoms of whooping cough

• Runny nose.
• Nasal congestion.
• Red, watery eyes.
• Fever.
• Cough.

 Later symptoms of whooping cough

• Vomiting during or after coughing fits.
• Struggling to breathe.
• Extreme fatigue or exhaustion.
• Ending with a high-pitched "whoop" sound during the next breath of air.

Not everyone with the infection will develop a whoop-sounding cough, and infants may not cough at all. Instead, they may struggle to breathe, or they may even stop breathing temporarily.

Pertussis bacteria produce toxins that inflame the airway.

When to seek medical attention 

• Struggling to breathe.
• Turning blue or purpose.
• Coughing violently or rapidly.
• Not drinking enough fluids.

People of all ages can become infected. However, whooping cough is especially dangerous for babies, particularly those under 6 months. It can lead to severe breathing issues, which may require hospitalization.

Prevention

Whooping cough is a vaccine preventable disease. "Thankfully, this is an infection we have a vaccination for," says Dr. Rajapakse. 

There are two types of vaccine available:

• Diphtheria, tetanus, Pertussis (DTaP)
  This vaccine is for children younger than 7 years old.
• Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis (Tdap)
  This vaccine is for older children and adults, including pregnant women.
  

Tdap is recommended for pregnant women in each pregnancy to provide babies with early protection against pertussis. This is crucial because the first few months of life pose the highest risk for serious illness, and babies don't receive their first pertussis vaccine dose until they're 2 months old.

Dr. Rajapakse says it's important for anyone in close contact with newborns and young infants, such as parents, grandparents or child care providers, to ensure they are up to date on their pertussis vaccination.

Practicing good hand hygiene also can help reduce the spread of respiratory infections.

The post Understanding whooping cough with a Mayo Clinic expert appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Mayo Clinic Children's Center in Rochester is ranked as a top-performing children's hospital in 10 pediatric specialties in U.S. News & World Report's 2024–25 rankings. The rankings recognize the excellence and effectiveness of the team-based approach central to the Mayo Clinic Model of Care.

Mayo Clinic Children's Center in Rochester is No.1 in Minnesota in the U.S. News & World Report 2024–25 rankings of the "Best Children's Hospitals." Nationally, Mayo Clinic Children's Center is ranked as a top-performing children's hospital in 10 of the 11 pediatric specialties reflected.

The report identifies the top 50 children's hospitals in each of the 11 specialties considered. The rankings demonstrate broad-based excellence and the effectiveness of the team-based approach that is the hallmark of the Mayo Clinic Model of Care. 

"The recognition reflects our unwavering commitment to providing high-quality care for children and their families. This care emphasizes team-based, multispecialty, coordinated care for the most complicated and complex illnesses,” says Amie Jones, M.D., interim medical director for Mayo Clinic Children's Center. 

Mayo Clinic Children's Center remains No. 1 in U.S. News & World Report's "Best Children's Hospitals" rankings for the five-state region of Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

“We are proud of our accomplishments and work every day to continue advancing excellence through innovation and transformative care," continues Dr. Jones. "We thank our amazing care teams for helping us deliver on our mission, bringing hope and healing to children from our community and across the world." 

Mayo Clinic is the medical center most recognized as a top choice for patients and families by U.S. News & World Report and many other ranking organizations and is the only healthcare organization that consistently ranks among the top providers nationwide regardless of the quality measures used.

The post Mayo Clinic ranked among ‘Best Children’s Hospitals’ by U.S. News & World Report appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

As always, it's strongly recommended that everyone 6 months of age and older get vaccinated for influenza. Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse, a pediatric infectious diseases physician with the Mayo Clinic Children's Center, says the flu vaccine is one of the most effective ways to reduce the severity of influenza illness and to reduce hospitalizations and deaths.

Watch: The Mayo Clinic Minute

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video (1:10) is in the downloads at the end of this post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Read the script.

The updated flu vaccine for this season is a trivalent vaccine, meaning it contains protection for not just one, but three different types of influenza.

"There's an H1N1, an H3N2 and an influenza B virus that this vaccine will protect against. Compared to last year, the H3N2 component is different. So this protects against a different strain of that virus that we didn't have in last year's flu vaccine," says Dr. Rajapakse.

As far as the best time to get vaccinated for the flu, Dr. Rajapakse says ideally in September or October. But don't wait too long.

"We recommend getting the vaccine before the end of October, since we tend to see cases of influenza increase in November, December, January. You want to make sure that you're protected going into that time of increased influenza circulation," says Dr. Rajapakse.

She says there are some people who may benefit from getting a flu shot earlier.

"Children under 9 years of age — especially if this is their first time getting the flu vaccine or they haven't had two prior doses of the flu vaccine _ they actually will need two doses separated by four weeks. So, to get that full protection, it'll take them a bit longer."

Also, those who are pregnant and will be delivering early in the flu season may benefit from getting the flu shot earlier.

"Their babies will not be eligible to get the flu vaccine themselves until they're 6 months of age. So making sure that the pregnant person gets their flu vaccine during the pregnancy will provide some protection to that baby after they're born," explains Dr. Rajapakse.

Other prevention tactics

The influenza vaccine isn't 100% effective, so it's also important to take several measures to lower the spread of infection, including:

• Wash your hands. Wash your hands well and often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water aren't available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Make sure friends and family whom you're around regularly, especially kids, know the importance of hand-washing.
• Avoid touching your face. Keeping your hands away from your eyes, nose and mouth helps keep germs away from those places.
• Cover your coughs and sneezes. Cough or sneeze into a tissue or your elbow. Then wash your hands.
• Clean surfaces. Regularly clean often-touched surfaces to prevent the spread of infection from touching a surface with the virus on it and then your face.
• Avoid crowds. The flu spreads easily wherever people gather — in child care centers, schools, office buildings, auditoriums and on public transportation. By avoiding crowds during peak flu season, you lower your chances of infection.

The post Mayo Clinic Minute: How to prepare for the 2024-25 influenza season appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Cases of human parvovirus B19, commonly known as Fifth disease, are on the rise, prompting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) this week to issue a health advisory. 

Parvovirus B19 is the cause of Fifth disease, a mild rash typically seen in children, although adults can contract the virus. Parvovirus B19 affects only humans. You can't contract it or transmit it to dogs or cats. However, different parvoviruses can affect pets.

"Fifth disease is a relatively common infection in childhood," says Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse, a pediatric infectious diseases physician with the Mayo Clinic Children's Center. "It has a few names. It's caused by a virus called parvovirus B19."

 For most children, symptoms are mild.

"The most common symptoms that children will usually have with this infection are fever, maybe some runny nose and then a characteristic rash that usually turns their cheeks bright red, and then they may develop a more kind of lacy-looking rash on their extremities and trunk," she says.

Watch: Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse explains parvovirus B19

Journalists: Broadcast-quality sound bites with Dr. Rajapakse are available in the downloads at the end of the post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Name super/CG: Nipunie Rajapakse, M.D./Pediatric Infectious Diseases/Mayo Clinic.

Adults infected with parvovirus 19 may have different symptoms than children.

Joint pain or swelling is less common but more frequent in adults. The virus also can temporarily stop the body from making new red blood cells, leading to anemia. People with sickle cell disease and weakened immune systems are at higher risk.

Dr. Rajapakse says parvovirus B19 spreads through respiratory secretions, such as contact with droplets from an infected person's cough or sneeze. 

The virus can spread through blood and from a pregnant woman to her child. If a pregnant person suspects exposure to parvovirus B19, they should tell their healthcare team as soon as possible due to potential rare fetal complications if the mother lacks immunity.

"Parvovirus B19 is a viral infection that is quite common in childhood. If you test them, most adults show signs that they had this infection when they were a child," says Dr. Rajapakse. "The rash usually isn't causing too many symptoms, so it doesn't need any specific treatment. And as the child's body fights off the virus, the rash usually resolves along with that."

Prevention

There are no vaccines or medications to prevent infection, but there are ways to reduce your chances of getting infected or transmitting the infection to others.

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
•  Practice good hand hygiene by covering your mouth when coughing or sneezing.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home and avoid others when you are sick.

Parvovirus B19 affects only humans. You can't contract it or transmit it to dogs or cats. However, different parvoviruses can affect pets.

Fifth disease, or erythema infectiosum, got its name from being the fifth in a list of childhood illnesses known for causing a rash, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

In the U.S., the virus peaks in winter and spring. The CDC reports mini outbreaks every three to four years.

Related posts:

• Mayo Clinic Minute: Childhood vaccines – moving the needle up
• Mayo Clinic Q and A: Childhood eczema
• Know the signs of strep throat in children

The post Mayo Clinic expert explains parvovirus B19, a common childhood infection appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

When Swina Taylor was two months pregnant, she chose a name for her baby: Makrii. In Micronesia, where Swina hails from, the name means "strong" and typically is given to boys.

From the day of her birth in April 2022, Makrii Omot has lived up to that name, amazing her multidisciplinary pediatric care team with her strength and determination.

Discovering congenital complications

From the start, Makrii needed those characteristics. At 28 weeks of pregnancy, Swina had an ultrasound that revealed something completely unexpected — abnormalities indicating that Makrii's diaphragm hadn't fully developed. The condition is called congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) and occurs in about 1 in 5,000-8,000 births annually.

The diaphragm is a muscle separating the chest and the abdomen and is the primary muscle for breathing. If the separation isn't complete, organs from the abdomen can move into the chest, press against the lungs and affect their development.

Not only can this condition cause the lungs to be smaller and immature, but it also can lead to pulmonary hypertension, or high blood pressure, in the lungs. Both situations make it difficult for the baby to breathe after delivery and can increase the risk of severe decompensation (organ failure). A baby's chances of surviving with CDH are low unless doctors act quickly to correct the condition.

Creating a working diaphragm

After receiving the diagnosis at Mayo Clinic Health System in Austin, Minnesota, Swina and her family moved to Rochester to be closer to Makrii's pediatric care team.

Makrii was born at 36 weeks at Mayo Clinic in Rochester. To help her breathe, she was placed on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) by Cardiovascular Surgery.

At one day old, while Makrii was still on ECMO, D. Dean Potter, M.D., a pediatric surgeon, performed the first surgery to correct her CDH. The surgery involved shifting her abdominal organs back into place and covering the large hole (hernia) in her diaphragm with a synthetic patch.

"The hernia is relatively easy to repair, and the recovery for patients is fairly straightforward," says Dr. Potter. "But the real consequences of CDH are its effect on lung development."

Helping Makrii breathe

For Makrii, those consequences were severe, resulting in tracheobronchomalacia (TBM), an airway disorder of the main bronchial tubes that causes them to be abnormally floppy. Even with sedation and maximum support from a ventilator, Makrii's trachea and airways tended to collapse, causing her oxygen levels and heart rate to drop.

"Makrii was very sick," says pediatric surgeon Stephanie Polites, M.D. "Tracheobronchomalacia can improve over time as the cartilage in the trachea strengthens, but Makrii's condition was so severe, we didn't have time to wait."

For her mom, Swina, and dad, Naney Omot, enduring the ups and downs of Makrii's condition was frightening and draining.

"We got to the point where we thought, 'Just let it be. If God wants her to be alive, she'll live,'" says Swina. "We knew she was in the best place, with the people who had kept her alive since she was born."

Crafting an unconventional solution

Dr. Polites quickly pulled together a team of Mayo Clinic experts from several specialties to find a solution for Makrii.

"She faced such tough odds but was so brave that she inspired the team to think outside the box. The surgical procedures that we perform more commonly for tracheomalacia wouldn't have been sufficient," says Dr. Polites.

"The full length of Makrii's trachea was floppy, and the bronchi on both sides were severely affected," says pediatric pulmonologist Paul Boesch, D.O. "Her airway was about the diameter of a pencil, and even providing structural support with an extra-long tracheostomy tube inside her trachea wasn't keeping it from closing."

The multidisciplinary team needed to find a solution that would support an airway segment longer than the trachea, including the bronchial tubes to each lung. They decided one potential option, inserting devices like stents inside the multiple small airways, wouldn't be effective and would cause other problems.

To provide maximum support of the trachea and main bronchial tubes without injuring Makrii's small airways, the team developed a plan to craft a customized external splint, like a partial cast, around the airway. To prevent collapse, they would stitch the trachea to the sternum in the front and the spine in the back.

Dr. Polites' team relied on Mayo Clinic's 3D Anatomic Modeling Laboratories to recreate Makrii's anatomy based on the results of pulmonary imaging. This 3D model allowed the team to better understand what would be needed during surgery.

"Combining these three procedures and the individualized approach to Makrii's complex anatomy made the surgery exceptionally innovative," says Dr. Boesch.

Assembling the team for surgery

Splinting of the trachea is a rare procedure performed at only a few hospitals in the U.S. Makrii would be Mayo Clinic’s first pediatric patient to undergo this operation.

On October 13, 2022, everyone was ready. Makrii was placed on ECMO again to support her heart and lungs during the complex surgery.

Dr. Polites molded warmed plates of bioabsorbable material to create the splints and then secured the splints around the front of Makrii’s airways. The splints would maintain the shape of the airways and keep them open, allowing Makrii to breathe easier. The surgery was successful, and Makrii began to improve almost immediately.

Breathing easier, growing stronger

Now 2 years old, Makrii is at home and doing well. Her parents and grandmother share care duties such as managing her feeding tube and tracheostomy. She is spending less time on a ventilator, getting stronger every day and reaching developmental milestones.

Makrii's mother Swina says she's crawling, beginning to eat by mouth and is constantly learning new things. The supportive plates put in during surgery will be absorbed by Makrii's body over time as her airways become stronger and won't need to be removed.

"It was exciting, yet humbling, to work with such an exceptional team dedicated to getting Makrii better so that she could go home with her family, grow and develop," says Dr. Polites.

Thinking back on her choice of name for Makrii, Swina says, "I'm glad I kept 'Makrii' because she is strong. It matches how she is on the inside, the outside and how she will be as she grows."

The post Baby Makrii breathes easier after innovative airway surgery at Mayo Clinic appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

In this Mayo Clinic Minute, he discusses how parents can determine if their child is experiencing normal anxiety or if they are showing signs of a potential anxiety disorder, which can make life more difficult.

Watch: The Mayo Clinic Minute

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video (1:05) is in the downloads at the end of this post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Read the script.

"Feeling anxious is perfectly normal. We all feel, most of us feel anxious," says Dr. Whiteside. Sometimes anxiety can be brought on by a stressful situation in a child's life.

"Sometimes kids are nervous and worried and afraid because life is stressful. So, they're failing their classes or they're being bullied at school or there's arguing and fighting at home, and there's something bad happening that is making them anxious," he says.

Stress and problems in life are important, and kids may need help from their parents to deal with them. However, stress is different from an anxiety disorder.

"An anxiety disorder is when kids feel more nervous, worried or afraid of things than we would expect them to be," says Dr. Whiteside. One of the most common anxiety disorders seen in kids is social anxiety disorder.

"It's kids who are not just shy, they're very worried that people will judge them, that they'll make mistakes, and their shyness prevents them from doing things that they want to do or they need to do," explains Dr. Whiteside.

Signs of a potential anxiety disorder

As for signs of a potential anxiety disorder, Dr. Whiteside says to think about a child having three jobs: school, family life and social activities.

Signs of anxiety or other mental health concerns:

• School: Missing school or difficulty getting them to school
• Family: Isolation, withdrawing from family interaction
• Social activities: Avoiding getting together with friends

"If your child is not doing things that they enjoy, isolating themselves, withdrawing from activities, [are] more irritable and upset, frequently tearful, especially if it's a change from how they normally have been acting….If one of those three jobs is not going well, that's one sign that your child may be struggling from anxiety or another mental health concern," says Dr. Whiteside.

To address a potential anxiety or mental health disorder, Dr. Whiteside says parents should start by having a conversation with their child. If the child is not receptive, then he recommends parents speak with their child's pediatrician or primary care team.

Related posts:

• Mayo Clinic Minute: Helping kids with anxiety through exposure therapy
• Mayo Clinic Minute: 4 ways to help kids overcome back-to-school anxiety
• Mayo Clinic Minute: Building a back-to-school routine

The post Mayo Clinic Minute: Is your child anxious about going back to school? appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse, who specializes in pediatric infectious diseases at Mayo Clinic’s Children’s Center, says that parents should check with their primary healthcare team to make sure their children's regular vaccinations are up to date before school starts.

Watch: The Mayo Clinic Minute

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video (0:58) is in the downloads at the end of this post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Read the script.

After a summer of fun, kids are returning to the classroom and that means close contact with each other. 

"That's really the perfect setup for infections to start to circulate. Getting them vaccinated, making sure that they're up to date on all their routine vaccinations not only helps to protect them, but it helps to protect everyone else that might be in their classroom as well," explains Dr. Rajapakse.

She says those routine vaccinations help protect against many preventable illnesses, "like tetanus, whooping cough, measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox."

Vaccines, she says, help the immune system combat serious infections and limit the risk of serious illness.

"They're a way to train our immune system to recognize these pathogens, so that if you do ever come across them, our immune system already knows how to fight them off," Dr. Rajapakse says.

And early protection through vaccination helps prevents future illness.

"These are all really safe and effective vaccines that help keep our kids safe in the classroom safe," says Dr. Rajapakse.

Read about the history of vaccine requirements and research.

The post Mayo Clinic Minute: Back-to-school vaccination checkup appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports more than a dozen outbreaks of measles in the U.S., with more than 165 confirmed cases of the highly contagious viral disease. Most of the cases are among children under age 5, and more than half of all cases have resulted in hospitalization.

"Measles is a viral infection that is highly contagious if you're not immune to it," says Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse, a pediatric infectious diseases physician with the Mayo Clinic Children's Center. "It’s generally characterized by fever, cough, runny nose and a pretty characteristic rash that can involve much of the skin surface."

Measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000 through a successful vaccine program, yet it persists globally. People can bring it to the U.S. if they're not vaccinated and get infected when they travel. The CDC says travelers should seek medical care if they develop symptoms of measles, including a rash, high fever, cough, runny nose or red, watery eyes. 

"Measles is one of the most contagious infectious diseases out there. If you're in the same airspace as someone with measles, if they were there two hours ago and you're not immune to it, you can still contract measles, even without ever coming in face-to-face contact with that person. That's why the vaccination is so important. It gives you baseline immunity," says Dr. Rajapakse.

Watch: Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse talks about measles

Journalists: Broadcast-quality sound bites with Dr. Rajapakse are available in the downloads at the end of the post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Name super/CG: Nipunie Rajapakse, M.D./Pediatric Infectious Diseases/Mayo Clinic.

Complications from measles 

"Measles used to be a relatively common childhood illness. Since we've introduced very effective immunization, measles is quite rare to see here in the U.S.," says Dr. Rajapakse. "It can infect the brain, for example, resulting in something called encephalitis. It can cause severe pneumonia. We're trying to avoid these complications by vaccinating children before they get sick with it."

Children under the age of 5, adults over 20, pregnant women and those with compromised immune systems are more likely to have complications from infection.

Complications from measles include:

• Diarrhea and vomiting.
• Ear infection.
• Bronchitis, laryngitis or croup.
• Pneumonia.
• Encephalitis.
• Pregnancy problems, including premature or low-birth-weight babies.

The CDC says that out of every 1,000 children with measles, about 1 to 3 die due to breathing and brain problems.

Reducing measles outbreaks

"Measles vaccination is a component of the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine that is routinely given between 12 to 18 months of age, and then again in the preschool vaccines between 4 to 6 years of age," Dr. Rajapakse says.

Two MMR vaccine doses are 97% effective against measles, while one is about 93% effective.

Before the 1963 measles vaccination program, around 3 to 4 million people got measles every year in the U.S., according to the CDC.

Learn more about the history of the measles vaccine development on the Mayo Clinic website.

Related posts:

• Mayo Clinic Minute: Childhood vaccines – moving the needle up
• Do you know who to talk to about your child’s routine vaccinations?
• 9 common questions about vaccines and travel

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