A Public-Health Crisis
Who Is Catching Measles and Why?
“First off, I want to say that I think that the outbreaks are worrisome,” says Dr. Vázquez. “Most of the people coming down with the disease were unvaccinated. Personally, and as a public-health professional, I can’t stress enough how important it is to make sure you and your children are immunized.”
How Communicable Is Measles?
“When we look at rate of infections, measles has the highest rate of any disease,” says Dr. Vázquez. “It is spread through the air as well as through direct contact, and 9 out of every 10 individuals who are exposed—people that don’t have immunity—come down with the disease. That is extremely high. To get the common cold or influenza, for example, you need to have direct contact with someone who is infected, you have to exchange bodily fluids. Someone entering a room after a person infected with measles can catch it. Measles is so communicable that someone who hasn’t yet come down with the symptoms can still be infectious.”
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What Are the Symptoms of Measles?
__“__Patients with measles present with fever, a rash, cough, coryza (red, itchy, runny nose) and red eyes (conjunctivitis),” says Dr. Vázquez. “If a case appears to be measles, we ask about international travel, contact with infected people. Then, we obtain specimens for testing. When it appears to be measles, we want to be sure; it’s important to prevent hysteria.”
What Is the Incubation Period?
“Per the CDC, from the time a person is infected, the range of time it takes for them to come down with the disease is one week to three weeks, and it generally appears in two weeks,” says Dr. Vázquez. “An infected individual can be infectious from four days before they develop symptoms—things like the tell-tale rash or fever—to four days after. Thus, kids who are exposed need to be quarantined to prevent the spread of measles.”
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How Seriously Is the U.S. Government Taking This Outbreak?
“It is a reportable disease,” says Dr. Vázquez. “Any physician who sees it must report it to their local health departments, because it is so difficult to contain and treat. The CDC will help with treatment and diagnoses. These are the agencies that we look to for real-time information about its spread.”
What Is the Treatment?
"It's really supportive—since measles is a virus, there realIy isn’t any medication we can give,” says Dr. Vázquez. “The treatment depends upon what other related illnesses a patient has. If they have pneumonia, they might need oxygen. People with bad, complicated ear infections may end up with drainage tubes in their ears. Tylenol can be given to relieve fever, fluids to prevent dehydration. Patients are sick for about two to three weeks. In very young children who come down with measles, the rate of hospitalization is very high.”
