Measles at the Mall and Cosco

COMMUNICABLE DISEASE PROGRAM ALERT
June 27, 2013

Please distribute to each physician, NP, and PA in your office.

SUBJECT:
Potential Measles Exposure

TO:
Pediatricians, Family Practice Providers, Urgent Care, Emergency Department, Hospitalists, Infectious Disease, Internal Medicine, Clinical Managers, ARNP’s

FROM:
Joni Hensley, RN, BSN

Background:
A visitor to Whatcom County has been diagnosed with measles. This person traveled to Bellingham during their infectious period on Saturday, June 22, 2013, and spent time at the Bellingham Costco and Bellis Fair Mall. Exposed susceptible members of the public could develop symptoms of measles from June 29, 2013 through July 13, 2013.

Endemic measles has been eliminated in the United States, with cases either imported or due to exposure to imported cases. Recent outbreaks of imported measles have been identified in New York and North Carolina over the last several months and an outbreak in UK is ongoing. Unimmunized groups are at risk for developing and spreading measles, which can disseminate with immunization rates under 90%. Complications of measles include otitis media (7%) which can lead to hearing loss, pneumonia (6%), and encephalitis (0.1%). Death occurs in 1-3 per 1000 cases in the United States.

Washington State Measles Guidelines:
http://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/5100/420-063-Guideline-Measles.pdf

Guidelines do not reflect the June 14, 2013 MMWR recommendations:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr6204a1.htm?s_cid=rr6204a1_e

CDC Vaccine and Immunization Information:
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/pinkbook/meas.html

Photos of Measles and People with Measles:
http://www.cdc.gov/measles/about/photos.html

Call the WCHD Immunization Program at 360-676-4593 regarding vaccines and the WCHD Communicable Disease Program at 360-676-6724 regarding measles testing and reporting.