Skip to main content

Why is measles so contagious?

228,606 Views

207 Questions Answered

Best of Web

Let’s Begin…

You might be surprised to hear that measles is 10 times more contagious than Ebola or the plague. So what makes the measles virus so contagious? And how do epidemiologists quantify a disease's catchiness? SciShow explores why measles is so dangerous.

Additional Resources for you to Explore

Learn the common signs and symptoms of measles, along with best practices for prevention and treatment. 

Vaccines have been proven to be an effective weapon against many diseases. Measles, for instance, was declared eliminated from the U.S. in 2000, and more recently, vaccines helped curb the spread of COVID. But both of those diseases are on the rise in 2024. PBS NewsHour digital health reporter Laura Santhanam joins John Yang to discuss why cases are climbing.

Dig into the development of the measles vaccine and how it helped eliminate the disease in the US by 2000.

Next Section »

About TED-Ed Best of Web

TED-Ed Best of Web are exceptional, user-created lessons that are carefully selected by volunteer teachers and TED-Ed staff.

Meet The Creators

More from Getting Under Our Skin