Brazil Confirms 1,237 Measles Cases During 2018

International travelers to Brazil and the state of Amazonas, in particular, should ensure they are vaccinated against measles before departure, announced the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

This CDC alert is in reaction to the 2018 ongoing measles outbreak throughout Brazil. 

On August 20, 2018, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) reported 1,237 confirmed measles cases including 6 deaths in Brazil during 2018. 

In the state of Amazonas, the measles outbreak that began March 2018 is ongoing and 910 cases have been confirmed, including 2 deaths. Only 2 municipalities in this region, Manaus, and Manacapuru have confirmed cases during 2018. 

In addition to the measles vaccination alert, the CDC suggests all travelers to Brazil review their immunizations for the following vaccine-preventable diseases:

• measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine
• diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine
• varicella (chickenpox) vaccine
• polio vaccine
• hepatitis A
• typhoid
• flu shot

Additionally, there is a large, ongoing yellow fever outbreak in multiple Brazilian states.

Since early 2018, a number of unvaccinated travelers to Brazil contracted yellow fever, and many of these travelers were infected on the island of Ilha Grande and several have died, says the CDC.

Travelers to Brazil should protect themselves from the yellow fever virus by getting a full-dose vaccine at least 10 days before travel.

Currently, only 4 yellow fever vaccine manufacturers are WHO prequalified:

• Brazil’s Bio-Manguinhos,
• Russian Federation’s Institute of Poliomyelitis and Viral Encephalitides,
• Senegal’s Institut Pasteur,
• France’s Sanofi Pasteur.

To determine if yellow fever vaccine is needed at your international travel destination, please visit this CDC page. 

Only a limited number of clinics in the United States have the STAMARIL and/or YF-VAX vaccine. To schedule a travel vaccination appointment, please visit Vax-Before-Travel. 

The CDC Vaccine Price List provides private sector vaccine prices for general information.

And, vaccine discounts can be found here.

Vaccines, like any medicine, can have side effects. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of vaccines to the FDA or CDC.