This week, Bobbi Conner talks with Dr. Stephen Thacker about the measles outbreak in SC, measles symptoms, and vaccination. Dr. Thacker is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and a pediatric infectious disease specialist at MUSC Children’s Health.
TRANSCRIPT:
Conner: I'm Bobbi Conner for South Carolina Public Radio with Health Focus here at the radio studio for the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. On October 2nd, 2025, the South Carolina Department of Public Health confirmed a measles outbreak in the upstate region of South Carolina. Doctor Stephen Thacker is here to provide an update about measles. Doctor Thacker is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and a Pediatric Infectious Disease Specialist at MUSC Children’s Health. Doctor Thacker, tell us briefly about measles.
Dr. Thacker: Measles is one of the most contagious viral infections that we know of. It's a respiratory virus that causes fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes, usually followed by a rash that starts on the face and spreads down the body. And what makes measles particularly concerning is how easy it spreads from one person to another. If one person has measles, up to 90% of those that are nearby and unvaccinated will become infected by this virus because it is so easy to spread.
Conner: Who's at increased risk of complications if they get measles?
Dr. Thacker: We know that young children under the age of five, especially infants, are at the highest risk for serious complications. And we also worry about pregnant individuals and people that have weakened immune systems, as well as those that are unvaccinated and can't be safely vaccinated. And you know, why we want to avoid measles infection is that these complications can include things like pneumonia, encephalitis, which is brain inflammation, and in severe cases, death. What we know from our prior experience with measles is that about 1 to 3 out of every 1000 children who get measles will die from complications, even with the best medical care.
Conner: There's now a measles outbreak identified in the upstate area of South Carolina. Explain what this means.
Dr. Thacker: An outbreak means that we're seeing more cases of a condition than we normally expect, in a specific area, over a specific amount of time. And for measles, even a handful of linked cases qualifies as an outbreak because we declared this infection eliminated from the US in 2000 because of our very effective and safe vaccine program. As of October 21st, the South Carolina Department of Public Health has reported 23 cases, 20 of which are around the Spartanburg County area. And from what we know about these cases here in South Carolina, they're all among individuals who've been unvaccinated in South Carolina. Our overall vaccination rates are concerning because we're below the national average for childhood measles, mumps and rubella vaccination, with some counties in our state having rates as low as 85 to 90% when we need at least 95% coverage to maintain what we call herd immunity, which prevents outbreaks.
Conner: What can parents do to help protect their children from getting measles?
Dr. Thacker: The single most important thing parents can do is to ensure their children have received measles vaccination, with the MMR vaccine on schedule. The CDC recommends the first dose anywhere from 12 to 15 months of age, and a second dose at 4 to 6 years of age before entering kindergarten. This vaccine is remarkably effective and safe. Two doses provide about 97% protection against infection from measles, and many children, after the first dose can develop immunity within about two weeks.
Conner: What precautions can be taken to prevent infants from getting measles?
Dr. Thacker: Infants under 12 months of age are particularly vulnerable and can't receive the routine measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. In this situation, the best protection for infants is ensuring that everyone around them is either vaccinated or protected against measles from prior natural infection. This includes parents, siblings, grandparents, as well as caregivers. What this does is create a protective cocoon around that at-risk infant.
Conner: Doctor Thacker, thanks for this information about measles.
Dr. Thacker: Thank you Bobbi.
Conner: From the radio studio for the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, I'm Bobbi Conner for South Carolina Public Radio.
Health Focus transcripts are intended to accurately represent the original audio version of the program; however, some discrepancies or inaccuracies may exist. The audio format serves as the official record of Health Focus programming.
