A resurgence of measles cases in the U.S., including one in Texas that recently infected more than 620 people and killed at least two children, is connected to a continuing decline in childhood vaccination rates. And if they continue to drop, warns a new study, it could pave the way for a measles comeback—and for rubella and polio, too.
But even if vaccine rates stay at current rates, measles could again become endemic (circulating in the U.S.) within two decades—and happen more quickly even with another small decline in immunization rates. Just a small increase, though, would prevent this.
