In a media briefing hosted by the Infectious Diseases Society of America, moderator Jeanne Marrazzo, MD, MPH, FIDSA, chief executive officer of IDSA; Julia Rosebush, DO, associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Section of Infectious Diseases, at the University of Chicago; and Preeti Malani, MD, FIDSA, adjunct clinical professor at the University of Michigan, provided timely updates on measles and other current outbreaks, common college infections and sexually transmitted infections, vaccines and other preventive measures to reduce the risk of infectious diseases.
Measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases
Dr. Rosebushdiscussed why back-to-school immunizations matter more in 2026 than they have in decades, and what parents and caregivers can do to protect their children and their communities. She emphasized that the United States is experiencing its worst measles resurgence in more than three decades. As of mid-August, she said the CDC had confirmed over 2,500 measles cases across 47 states and territories.
“We've already surpassed the total for all of 2025 in terms of measles cases, and roughly 9 in 10 of these cases were in people who were unvaccinated or whose vaccination status was unknown,” she explained. “We are at risk as a nation of losing our measles elimination status — a public health achievement that was built over a generation because of this preventable drop in vaccination coverage. What's more concerning is that the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine coverage among kindergartners has fallen from over 95% just a few years ago to under 93% nationally. While that may sound like a small shift, measles is one of the most contagious diseases we know. A single, unvaccinated child in a school full of unvaccinated classmates can start an outbreak that spreads to dozens of families within days.”
Dr. Rosebush explained that the MMR vaccine, typically administered in two doses at ages 12 to 15 months and 4 to 6 years, is safe and the most effective tool for preventing measles and limiting further spread. Dr. Rosebush also emphasized that tetanus and pertussis deserve equal attention.
“Beginning in early childhood, at 2 months of age, we start to vaccinate against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis,” she said. “Pertussis can circulate quietly in schools or infect older adults whose immunity has waned and can be devastating for infants who are too young to be fully vaccinated themselves. Four cases of tetanus were reported in the United States in 2024, one in Idaho, which was the first case reported in that state in nearly 30 years. None of these children had completed their tetanus vaccine series and all suffered severe complications.”
Dr. Rosebush further explained that vaccination against pertussis and tetanus is safe and highly effective at preventing disease, and many states require an updated booster for entry into middle school.
HIV and STI prevention for teens
Dr. Rosebush also noted that adolescence is when many young people become sexually active, and it's also when they have the least consistent access to confidential and judgment-free health information.
“Every year, teenagers account for a significant share of new STI and HIV diagnoses in the U.S., and far too many of them don't know their status or realize that prevention exists beyond abstinence, condoms, regular screening and for those at higher risk, HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, which is safe and effective for adolescents, though not uptaken as rapidly and as readily as in adult populations,” she explained. “As pediatricians, we have a responsibility to make routine, confidential conversations about sexual health a normal part of adolescent care. I encourage every parent or caregiver to ensure that their teen has a trusted clinician that they can talk to for the most reliable information.”
Dr. Rosebush continued, “As we send children back to the classroom this year, here is the bottom line: Routine vaccinations are proven to be safe and effective at preventing diseases with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Updating vaccines prior to the start of the school year is essential, so that children have the immunity that is necessary before they hit the books. And lastly, start the conversation about sexual health early and keep it open, ensuring that adolescents know their options for preventing HIV and sexually transmitted infections.”
Common college infections and STIs
Dr. Malani noted that students entering college today were about 12 or 13 during the height of the pandemic, and they might have missed some of the recommended vaccines that they normally would have gotten at around that age entering middle school. “One very basic reminder is to check with your doctor or other health care provider to make sure that your student is caught up on all the routine vaccines, including MMR, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, chickenpox, etc.,” she said.
Dr. Malani also pointed out that college presents unique opportunities and unique challenges for students. “There's lots of close contact with numerous people in both academic and social settings. And this proximity is something that is very difficult in terms of infections and outbreaks,” she explained. “One of the vaccines that is important for college students is Tdap, which protects against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis.”
HPV
Dr. Malani also explained that the HPV vaccine is important because it protects against a virus that causes several types of cancer, including cervical and throat cancers. “One thing to note is that teens who start the vaccine at age 15 or older need three doses instead of two. The start time and the age at which it's given is important. Another thing to note is that this is also one of the vaccines that some teens start but they don't finish.”
Dr. Rosebush added, “If we want to think about long-term effectiveness, we don't have data beyond a five-year period. We also don't have data in its effectiveness around the prevention of HPV, but non-cervical cancers that are due to HPV. At the current time, it is really appropriate to proceed with the current recommendation of the 2 or 3 doses, depending upon the age at which vaccination is complete.”
Meningococcal disease
Dr. Malani also stressed that every college-bound student should be protected against meningococcal disease. “Meningococcal infection can be a very serious bacterial infection and can cause meningitis, which is an infection of the brain and spinal cord. While this is a relatively rare infection with a few hundred cases a year — largely because of successful vaccination — it is potentially deadly. And those who do survive are often left with permanent, very serious disabilities like hearing loss, loss of limbs,” she said.
Dr. Malani further explained that the infection spreads through respiratory and throat secretions, so activities such as sharing drinks and kissing, as well as living in close quarters in residence halls and other congregate settings, can increase the risk of infection.
“The current recommendations are for children to get the general meningitis vaccine, the meningitis A, C, W and Y vaccine at age 11 or 12 with a booster at 16,” she said. “But there's another meningitis vaccine for meningitis B, it's a fifth strain that requires two doses six months apart. And this is one that's really important to think about before starting college. One thing to remember is that there's a couple of different formulations and brands, and the doses are not interchangeable.”
STI prevention
Dr. Malani also discussed STIs, such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV, and the importance of preventive measures such as PrEP to prevent HIV, as well as doxy-PEP to prevent certain STIs. She explained the importance of being able to have honest conversations between students and their health care team about sexual activity and ways to stay healthy.
“Health resources are going to vary on campus, but most larger schools have a full-service health center on campus, and these are places that are very student-centered,” she explained. “They're designed to help students in all aspects of their life, not just infection prevention.”
Flu and COVID-19
Dr. Malani stressed that seasonal vaccines are also important and that annual influenza vaccination is recommended for anyone aged 6 months and older, including teens and young adults. “College is the kind of setting where flu can spread very quickly, and getting seriously ill in the middle of a semester can set you back not just physically, but academically,” she said. “The good thing is most colleges offer flu shots, often at no cost to students in the fall. So this is something to think about and make a plan for.”
Dr. Malani noted an increase in COVID-19 cases and emphasized the importance of staying current on COVID-19 vaccination, particularly if a person has health conditions that put them at higher risk of severe disease.
“It doesn't prevent all infections, but it will help keep you out of the hospital. It will help prevent serious complications,” she said. “With the flu vaccine there's a new vaccine that we're still waiting to hear of — the mRNA vaccine. But in the meantime, there are other flu vaccines that are already starting to become available, and that's given a little later in the fall and is for everybody. And I encourage everybody to get it; and it's widely available.”
Dr. Marrazzo added that the COVID-19 vaccine that's being recommended for this season hasn't changed much. “It's a single lineage, the JN.1 lineage, and the XFG variant. That is what is matching currently circulating strains, although we really don't have a ton of epidemiologic surveillance right now in what's going on with these strains, because a lot of that has been rolled back or de-emphasized,” she explained. “The people who really need the COVID-19 vaccine are older adults, high-risk individuals, anybody who has chronic underlying health conditions, diabetes, lung disease, heart disease, compromised immune systems, pregnancy.”
Dr. Marrazzo also recommended the flu vaccine, noting that the data show its protective benefits. “We're not going to be able to see the benefit of Moderna's, the mRNA platform, being able to specifically target the strains that are around, because it's just coming out. But next season, very hopefully we may have a flu vaccine that will be much more fine-tuned to the circulating strains,” she said.
Addressing vaccine hesitancy
Dr. Rosebush noted that the most important thing one can do as a provider is to try to get at the foundation of what is fueling the hesitancy toward vaccines.
“I think it's really important to try and ensure that we have an understanding of where the patient or guardian is coming from, because it's only then that we're going to be able to appropriately craft our recommendations and make sure that we are truly addressing the concerns,” she said. “I think at the root of this is really trying to get to the bottom of what is fueling that hesitancy and then utilizing that to be our guide and understanding that this is not something that you will necessarily be able to do in a single visit. This can be a conversation over time. And, if you're able to meet with them on multiple occasions and try to develop a relationship that's built on trust and rapport, I think your likelihood of success and of allowing them to understand what's behind vaccination and how safe it is will come to fruition. But that does take time.”
Dr. Malani added that lower vaccination rates should not automatically be interpreted as vaccine refusal, noting that some patients face barriers to accessing vaccines.
“There are a lot of barriers to getting vaccinated for certain individuals, and those barriers are not equal,” she said. She emphasized the importance of bringing in resources and trusted voices from both the community and health care and making vaccination easier for families.
Dr. Marrazzo similarly emphasized the importance of avoiding blame and maintaining open dialogue about vaccination. “We really need to continue to have open dialogue and cultivate spaces where people can ask their questions about vaccines and other health interventions,” she said.
