Measles can easily become a stowaway on a flight to the United States.

This highly contagious and serious disease continues to be common throughout the world, including Europe. Because of decades of measles vaccination in the United States, most cases of measles that occur in the United States are linked to cases imported from another country by U.S. residents and visitors. Measles outbreaks in Europe during 2010–2011 caused an increase in the number of measles cases imported to the United States. In 2011, the United States had more measles cases than any other year since 1996.

Vaccination is the best possible prevention.

This measles exposure started in July 2010 with one contagious infant on a flight from Zurich to Boston and ended with exposing measles to 270 students from around the world.

The infant had a rash and fever during the flight and was diagnosed with measles the following day. Because measles is a disease that doctors have to report to public health, the hospital notified the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH). Because the patient had recently traveled, MDPH contacted the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Boston Quarantine Station.

Stephen B. Thacker CDC Library collection