LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - An outbreak is defined as three or more cases linked by time or location. The majority of the patients were on average around the age of 14, and most were infected while traveling abroad. While there were 70 patients were hospitalized, but there were no deaths reported.

"Last year many U.S. travelers brought back more than they bargained for," Director Dr. Ann Schuchat, CDC's Office of Infectious Diseases says. "This is the most reported number of cases of the measles in 15 years."

Measles was wiped out in the U.S. for more than a decade, thanks in large part to the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine. Measles cases in the U.S, have been sporadic. While numbers reported seem relatively small, the CDC says vaccination is still essential to maintaining elimination in the U.S.

"It's really important for families to know that measles are still a threat," Schuchat said. "In some places it's easy to exempt from a vaccine. We believe that for many parents a reason to decline a vaccine are they don't think the disease exists, they believe it's gone ... No one wants their child to die from measles in 2012."

There are parents who opt out of vaccinations for philosophical, religious or personal beliefs, the vaccine has been studied extensively and is safe and effective.

The measles vaccine is traditionally delivered in two doses for children. The first comes between 12 and 15 months and the second between the ages of 4 and 6.

Two doses are also recommended for college students, health care professionals and international travelers who've never been vaccinated. Adults who have no recognizable immunity should get one dose. People born before 1957 don't need to be vaccinated, as it's widely believed that they either had measles or were exposed to it.

It's recommended that anyone older than 6 months who's traveling internationally should get vaccinated.

Measles is a respiratory disease caused by the measles virus. Symptoms included a high fever of 101 degrees or more, body rash that lasts for three or more days, runny nose and cough. For every 1,000 children who get the disease one to two of them die. Between 2001 and 2008 there have only been two measles deaths confirmed by the CDC; a 13-year-old boy with and underlying condition, and a 75-year-old international traveler.

Schuchat warns that there is no reason to let our guards down.

"What would happen if people didn't get vaccinated? We would have thousands and thousands of cases." With summer coming and people heading overseas for events like the summer Olympics she has this message: 'For those of you traveling abroad, bring back memories and not measles.'"

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