Recent health outbreaks caused by low immunization rates

The world is seeing a reemergence of preventable illnesses like measles, mumps and whooping cough that were once considered virtually eradicated from the human population.

These recent health outbreaks are occurring in part because a growing number of parents in the western world are choosing not to vaccinate their children, as they join a chorus of naysayers who believe vaccines cause everything from autism to allergies.

The most well-known celebrity to espouse these views is Jenny McCarthy. As a poster child for the anti-vaccine movement, McCarthy has been slammed for saying that vaccines caused her son's autism, a view the mainstream medical community says has no basis in science.

With the ongoing measles outbreak in British Columbia's Frazer Valley, we thought now would be a good time to look back at other recent illness outbreaks caused by low immunization rates in North America.

Measles -- British Columbia (ongoing)

More than 100 suspected measles cases have been reported in Chilliwack and Agassiz in B.C. There is also one confirmed measles case in a Burnaby-area college student, causing concern that the illness could spread among the British Columbia Institute of Technology's Burnaby campus. And now, one man in Manitoba has contracted the disease, suggesting that an outbreak may occur in that province. The outbreak started at a Christian school in the heart of the Frazer Valley's "bible belt" where there are very low immunization rates due to religious beliefs that vaccines are unsafe. The school has since been closed.

Also see: Canadian company creates vitamin-infused gum

Whooping Cough -- Arizona (2013)

Last November, Arizona saw about 12,000 cases of whooping cough that caused health officials to urge the public to get vaccinated. It also prompted two school districts to ban unvaccinated children from attending school.

Whooping Cough -- New Brunswick (2012)

New Brunswick saw the largest whooping cough outbreak to ever hit that province in 2012. There were a total of 1,421 whooping cough cases that resulted in children between the ages of 10 and 14 being hardest hit.

Also see: Mom allegedly fakes son's cancer

Measles -- Quebec (2011)

In 2011, Quebec saw more than 750 reported cases of measles in an outbreak that was considered the largest in North and South America since 2002. Heath officials launched a massive vaccination campaign in schools as a result.

Mumps -- British Columbia (2011)

More than 90 people contracted mumps in the Lower Mainland of B.C. in 2011. It was the province's first sizeable mumps outbreak since 2008 and it mostly infected young adults.