Measles: Amplifying the Public Trust in Nurses to Address the Outbreaks

As of March 7, 2025, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated that a total of 222 measles (rubeola) cases had been reported in 12 different U.S. jurisdictions: Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York City, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, and Washington. Among those cases, 94% were either unvaccinated or had an unknown vaccination status. Seventeen percent were hospitalized, with the majority of those cases among children 19 years of age or younger. Unfortunately, measles has already claimed the life of an unvaccinated child in Texas, which is reporting the largest outbreak, at 159 cases. The cause of a second death, of an unvaccinated deceased adult in New Mexico who was found to have measles, is still under investigation.

Measles is an airborne, highly infectious, and potentially severe illness. The vaccine [measles-mumps-rubella (MMR)] vaccine is more than 97% effective in preventing disease. In the United States, MMR coverage among kindergartners is now below the 95% coverage target, with rates much lower in some communities, and is continuing to decrease. In addition, global measles activity is increasing, leading to more opportunities for an unvaccinated person to become infected when traveling outside the U.S. or for an infected person visiting or living in the U.S. to transmit to a susceptible unvaccinated person. Groups of unvaccinated individuals provide opportunities for ongoing transmission and the resultant illness. These outcomes are preventable.

2025-03-10T10:03:13-04:00March 10th, 2025|infectious diseases, Nursing, Public health|1 Comment
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A Tumultuous Seven Weeks for Public Health in the United States

Editor’s note: AJN news director Karen Roush, PhD, RN, FNP, will be providing regular updates on AJN Off the Charts about the details and implications of rapid and potentially momentous changes being made by the Trump administration to the public health system in the United States.

It’s been a tumultuous seven weeks since President Trump’s inauguration. Changes in leadership and priorities have swept across every federal department, bringing uncertainty and disruption. Trump signed more than 70 executive orders (EOs) in his first month in office, including orders to erase diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts from federal agencies and the military (EO 14151); limit the rights of transgender people and declare that only two “sexes,” biological males and females, would be recognized by the federal government (EO 14168); end birthright citizenship (EO 14160); and further limit access to abortion (EO 14182). Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE, has fired tens of thousands of federal employees, dismantled entire agencies, including USAID, and pulled grant funding from universities, nongovernmental organizations, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

The appointment of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to head HHS.

Many of the […]

2025-03-07T10:02:20-05:00March 7th, 2025|health care policy, infection control, infectious diseases, Nursing, Public health|0 Comments
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H5N1 Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) Update for Nurses and Other Health Providers

Influenza is a clever virus and one that deserves respect. Current concerns with the H5N1 avian influenza virus strain demonstrate why public health around the world continues to watch and monitor for impact on human health. Although the situation is not one that currently affects us on a day-to-day basis, it is important that we have a basic understanding of why this remains newsworthy.

Spread and evolution of H5N1.

Since its emergence, H5N1 has spread across multiple continents, affecting wild birds, poultry, and mammals. In late 2023, the virus was detected in Antarctica for the first time, raising concerns about its impact on native wildlife. By 2024, H5N1 had been reported in various regions, including Europe, Asia, and the Americas, leading to significant poultry losses and economic challenges.

In the United States, H5N1 has been detected in wild birds, poultry, and mammals across all 50 states. As of early 2025, nearly 70 human cases have been confirmed, primarily among individuals with direct exposure to infected animals. In December 2024, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the first severe human case of H5N1 in Louisiana, involving a patient hospitalized with severe illness.

We have seen H5N1 move across nonhuman animal species, to situations where humans have become mildly ill after contact with animals, and now to situations where animal contact has resulted in severe human illness.

Since this particular strain of influenza has been detected in a variety of animals, but rarely in humans, what is the concern? The concern […]

2025-02-13T12:42:43-05:00February 13th, 2025|infection control, infectious diseases, Nursing, Public health|0 Comments
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Norovirus, a Formidable and Underappreciated Hazard: What Nurses Need to Know

Norovirus, a highly contagious virus that causes acute gastrointestinal illness, is making its presence known across the United States. Symptoms typically begin 12 to 48 hours after exposure and last one to three days and include diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and abdominal pain.

During the last half of 2024, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported close to 500 norovirus outbreaks, a significant increase when compared to the same time period in 2023. These outbreaks have occurred in health care facilities, restaurants, schools, and cruise ships and are continuing to occur in 2025. Norovirus is also the leading cause of foodborne illness outbreaks in the United States, but it is not simply a foodborne or food contamination issue. In fact, norovirus transmission is more complex—and therefore often underappreciated in its impact on human health, including patients and health care workers.

The vulnerability of health care settings to norovirus.

Based on electron microscopic imagery, this illustration provides a 3D, graphical representation of a number of norovirus virions. CDC/ Jessica A. Allen

Let’s look at some of the reasons why norovirus […]

2025-01-10T12:10:31-05:00January 10th, 2025|infectious diseases, Nursing, patient safety, Public health|0 Comments
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Pertussis Rates Have Been Rising: What Nurses Need to Know

Pertussis, or whooping cough, remains one of the leading causes of vaccine-preventable deaths worldwide, with most deaths occurring in young babies who are either unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many of the infection prevention and control measures such as masking, social distancing, and remote learning for children resulted in decreases in reported cases of pertussis. However, in 2023 and 2024 a return to routine activities has resulted in an increase in pertussis cases. Preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that more than five times as many cases of pertussis have been reported as of October 19, 2024, compared to the same time period in 2023. This is higher than was seen during the same time period in 2019, prior to the pandemic. Compounding this problem are the alarming trends showing lower rates of routine vaccination among adults and children, trends which indicate reduced vaccine confidence and increases in vaccine hesitancy in the U.S. population.

Key points of knowledge and action for nurses

Epidemiology of pertussis

Pertussis is caused by Bordetella pertussis, a gram-negative coccobacillus and is highly contagious and easily spread person-to-person via respiratory droplets or through direct contact […]

2024-11-11T11:32:08-05:00November 11th, 2024|infectious diseases, Nursing, pediatrics, Public health|0 Comments
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Views expressed on the blog are solely those of the authors or persons quoted. They do not necessarily reflect AJN’s views or those of Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.
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