Measles, considered eliminated in the U.S. a quarter century ago, is now . Here are some answers to common questions about the disease, from how it presents to the durability of vaccinations.

a highly infectious and preventable diseasespreading in at least two states

What is measles and why are we hearing about it now?

Q:

The World Health Organization identifies measles as , killing up to three out of every thousand children globally. The disease has been preventable since 1963, when American researchers developed a vaccine. In 2000, measles was considered eliminated in the U.S., though occasional cases and outbreaks impacted mostly unvaccinated people. Currently, there are outbreaks in Texas and New Mexico.

A:one of the most contagious diseases

On March 6, an unvaccinated man in New Mexico  died of the virus last month.