I Had Measles Despite Being Vaccinated. Here’s How That Happened

When I was 10 years old, I was diagnosed with the measles. It had been going around my school, and my number came up. It was a rough two weeks, characterized by very high fever (in the 104-105 range), watching TV while wearing sunglasses (I'd been advised to not watch it at all), and barely eating anything.

UPDATE: Since this story was originally published, Kentucky health officials have confirmed an ongoing measles outbreak in the state. As of Aug. 26, 29 cases have been reported in seven counties, the highest number Kentucky has recorded in a single year since 1991. Christian County has reported 14 cases.

A Childhood Case of Measles Despite an Early Vaccination

What's odd is that I had been vaccinated when I was nine months old, but my pediatrician told Mom that I was likely too young for the vaccine to provide lasting protection. The Centers for Disease Control backs that up; they say that 95% of children who are vaccinated at 12 months develop measles antibodies.

Kentucky Measles Outbreak Continues to Grow

This unpleasant stretch of my young life re-entered my memory banks when I learned of what, at the time, was a suspected measles outbreak in Christian County. According to the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, an individual who hadn't been vaccinated for measles was diagnosed with the contagious infection and may have come in contact with a large number of people. Officials believed the individual caught it from an out-of-state visitor.

Since then, the numbers have grown considerably. Kentucky has now reported 29 cases in 2026, including 14 in Christian County, five in Washington County, four in Jessamine County, three in Trigg County, and one each in Caldwell, Owen and Todd counties. Two people have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported.

What Are the Symptoms of Measles?

When I had the measles, I checked all the symptomatic boxes...high fever, runny nose, red eyes, and coughing. At its onset, I developed a rash inside my mouth. Those are known as Koplik spots, which can appear before the more familiar measles rash. I don't exactly remember what made Mom think I might have the measles and check inside my mouth, but she was a registered nurse; it came with the territory. The CHFS and CDC say the characteristic measles rash typically appears several days after the first symptoms, beginning on the face before spreading down the rest of the body.

In light of the ongoing outbreak, Kentucky health officials are urging residents to make sure they and their children are up to date on the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine.