Measles is Back – Considerations for laboratory diagnosis

Measles is a highly contagious viral illness that continues to cause significant mortality among young children worldwide despite the availability of a safe and effective vaccine. During the first half of 2019, over 182 countries reported more than 300,000 measles cases; greater than double the number from the same period in 2018. Timely recognition and laboratory confirmation of infected individuals as well as appropriate infection prevention measures are crucial to avert further transmission. This review highlights the importance of early recognition of the signs and symptoms of measles and provides details on the laboratory methods commonly employed to confirm cases, investigate outbreaks and characterize the virus. It's critical that clinicians, laboratorians and public health administrations work together to rapidly identify, confirm and contain the spread of measles globally.