Health officials in Milwaukee are dealing with an outbreak of measles. The week of April 7th, 2008 the total went up to four.  The last major outbreak was in 1989 and 1990 when more than 1600 people came down with measles, five of them died.  We talked with the Infectious Disease Specialist at Avera McKennan in Sioux Falls to find out if we should be worried.

Dr. Aris Assimacopoulos isn't surprised to see a resurgence of mumps and measles...his advice to you: Roll up your sleeve.

South Dakota law requires proof that children entering kindergarten or early childhood programs be immunized with two doses of the mumps measles and rubella vaccine. The 3-in-1 MMR shot is typically given at 12 to 15 months. And again at 4 to 6 years of age. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention some adults should also get the MMR vaccine: Anyone 18 years of age older, who was born after 1956, should get at lease one dose of MMR vaccine, unless they can show they have had either the vaccines or the diseases. 

With the recent outbreaks Dr. A is questioning the timing of when booster shots are given.

Dr. Assimacopoulos says, "I think at some point people are going to have to re-evaluate how you use the vaccine and whether boosters ought to be given at a later date."

A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine says most college students sickened in a 2006 mumps outbreak had been vaccinated against the disease.

Dr. Assimacopoulos says, "We know with a lot of the MMR immunity may wane over time after a number of years it may not be as good but a lot of times it doesn't matter because you aren't being exposed to the offending agent and when you are we find out how good the vaccine is."

Dr. A says don't think it won't happen here just act like you will be exposed and get your vaccines.

The 2006 outbreak of mumps was the biggest in the U.S. since before states began requiring a second mumps shot in 1990. Nearly 7,000 people got mumps mostly in 8 Midwest states including Iowa.

Some people won't vaccinate their children with the MMR series because they are convinced it causes autism, although the CDC says there is no evidence to link the two.