Measles Alert!

CONFIRMED MEASLES CASES in SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA

Rapid and aggressive public health action is needed to respond to measles cases.
It is critical that providers report suspect measles cases to the
Monterey County Health Department’s Communicable Disease Unit (831-755-4521)

There have been four confirmed cases of measles diagnosed in the San Francisco Bay Area within the last two weeks.  Three individuals (one adult and two unvaccinated toddlers) had recently traveled to Europe and Asia.  The fourth case (an unvaccinated adult) had no history of travel and no known link to the other three cases, raising concern of local transmission.   Because measles is extremely contagious and can be life threatening to susceptible individuals we are alerting clinicians and infection control professionals and requesting they follow these recommendations.

Monterey County Residents Should:

1. Get Vaccinated!

• Children should get 2 doses of MMR Vaccine: The first at 12-15 months of age and the second at 4-6 years of age
• Adults, 18 years of age or older or who was born after 1956 should get at least one does of MMR vaccine unless they are certain they have had the disease. Two doses are recommended for health care workers, students, educators, and international travelers.

2.  Call their health care provider immediately if they experience the following symptoms:

• Onset of mild fever accompanied by a head cold (nasal congestion and “stuffiness”) and inflamation of the eye lid lining, which may or may not be associated with pain and crusty discharge.
• Development of a higher fever, could reach up to 104-105 degrees, accompanied by a rash.

Actions requested of all clinicians:

1. Be alert for cases of measles. Consider measles in any patient with fever and rash, especially in people with known exposure to the San Francisco index cases, with recent international travel or with exposure to a visitor from abroad, or a US resident who has recently returned from international travel.
2. Implement airborne precautions immediately for all patients with fever and morbilliform and/or vesicular rash: identify, isolate and provide a facemask for the patient to wear.
3. Report suspect cases to the Monterey County Health Department’s Communicable Disease Unit (CDU) at 831-755-4521; in addition, if the case is or was in the hospital, report to your hospital Infection Control Professional (ICP).
4. Coordinate diagnostic testing (IgM and IgG) with the Communicable Disease Unit.  Using a commercial laboratory may delay diagnosis.
5. Work with your ICP (if in a hospital) or the CDU (if in other settings) to identify exposed susceptible contacts and assess them for post-exposure prophylaxis and the need for exclusion from work or quarantine.

For more information view the released Health Advisory.  A printable Flyer is also available for service providers to distribute throughout their organizations.