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What exactly is measles?
Measles is a viral infection known as rubeola, or “red measles”, or “ten-day measles”. It presents with a runny nose, red eyes, cough, fever (that goes up), rash and sometimes spots inside the mouth. Some children are sensitive to light when they have measles. More information about the contagious periods of measles is provided on the bottom of the page.
Why is everyone worried about measles in San Diego, now?
Recently an unvaccinated school-age child caught measles when he was visiting Switzerland, and then passed measles on to his classmates before it was known that he had this disease. Some of his classmates came down with measles. Other children caught measles in a doctor’s office waiting room from one of the children.
Is getting measles dangerous?
Measles was once a very common childhood infection. Measles is now uncommon because almost all older adults have already had the disease, and younger adults and most children older than age 1 year have been vaccinated.
Although most people with measles recover without further problems, it is more common for children younger than 5 years of age and adults 20 years of age and older to experience complications. Diarrhea and ear infections are the most common complications. Pneumonia occurs in 6% of those with measles. Measles in pregnancy increases the risk of premature labor, miscarriage, and low-birth-weight infants. Measles is most life-threatening among young children and adults. The most common cause of death in children is pneumonia; in adults it’s encephalitis (infection of the brain).
How can a parent know if their child is at risk for developing measles?
Any child is at risk for developing measles if they meet these two conditions: (1) The child has not been vaccinated, and (2) The child has been exposed to someone who is in the contagious stage of measles. Here is more information on those two conditions:
(1) All children should get their first measles vaccine at age 1 year and then again just before kindergarten (usually at age 4 or 5 years). If your child is between age 1 and age 5, he or she is considered protected from the disease. If your child is older than age 5 and has not been vaccinated since his or her first birthday, a second vaccine is recommended. But, your child is likely (better than 95% chance) protected and is not likely to get measles, even if exposed. Most children get the measles vaccine in combination with mumps and rubella (German measles) in a vaccine known as “MMR”.
(2) San Diego County‘s health department (County of San Diego--Health and Human Services Agency) has been tracking down the places where children who were contagious for measles have been, and the days they have been there. The County has already contacted parents of unvaccinated children who are known to have been in those locations on certain days. (These places include: Cooperative Charter School of San Diego, Children’s Clinic La Jolla, and a flight from San Diego to Hawaii). It is impossible for the County to know if your child has been at a public place or walking on the street near a child contagious with measles. That is why it’s important for every parent to be sure that all their children older than age one year have been immunized.
How is the County health department keeping measles from spreading?
The County is reminding parents to vaccinate their children. All children with measles and all unvaccinated children thought to have been exposed to measles are asked to remain at home (known as quarantine) until the risk for measles has passed or the child has recovered.
Is the vaccine safe?
Some parents are worried that the vaccine is not safe. The truth is that the vaccine is very safe. Parents who want to learn more about the vaccine and its safety should contact their pediatrician or family doctor, call the County’s HHSA Immunization branch at (619) 692-8661, or visit www.sdiz.org or www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/measles/
Should children continue to go to school?
Yes, unless you have been instructed by the County health department to keep your child at home. Otherwise, your child should go to school as usual. If a child is older than age 12 months, parents should be sure he or she is vaccinated.
More about the contagious periods of measles
- Prodrome stage (the period before the rash): Lasts 2-4 days (range 1-7 days). It is characterized by a high fever, often as high as 103°-105°F, followed by cough, runny nose and/or conjunctivitis. Koplik spots, a rash on the mucous membranes, may appear 1-2 days before the rash up to 1-2 days after the rash.
- Rash stage: Occurs 2-4 days after prodrome stage and persists for 5-6 days. The rash begins on the face and head then proceeds downward and outward to the hands and feet. The rash fades in the same order it appeared, head to feet.
- Period of contagion: Measles is highly contagious and may be transmitted from 4 days before the rash to 4 days after rash onset. It is spread by droplets (from coughs and sneezes). It is easily spread, so that an unvaccinated child in the same room as someone who is contagious, can catch measles.This is true even in large rooms.
Information provided by Howard Taras, MD, San Diego Unified School District Medical Consultant
