Pennsylvania issues alert on congenital measles-something US hasn't seen for decades

Key Points:

• Pennsylvania's health department issued an alert due to a rising number of measles cases in pregnancy and congenital measles, conditions not seen in decades prior to the current outbreak fueled by declining vaccination rates.
• As of October 19, the state reported 1,286 measles cases across 42 counties, with 247 hospitalizations and six deaths, including at least one newborn fatality linked to congenital measles.
• Pregnant individuals without prior measles immunity face increased risks such as hospitalization, pneumonia, miscarriage, and preterm labor; the MMR vaccine is not recommended during pregnancy, but intravenous immunoglobulin may be given within six days of exposure.
• Congenital measles can cause a range of symptoms in newborns, from asymptomatic cases to severe multisystem disease, and survivors may suffer long-term complications including immune amnesia and fatal neurological disorders like subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE).
• The health alert emphasizes the need for ongoing clinical follow-up for infants with congenital measles and parental education on early SSPE signs such as seizures and developmental regression.