Health and Fitness : Benton County Public Health Asks for Help Preventing Measles Here at Home

Melissa Smith, Director of Home Health and Public Health at Virginia Gay Hospital and Clinics, is recommending vigilance during the large, multi-state outbreak of measles in the United States. Though as of February 5th, 2015 there are no confirmed cases of measles in Iowa, more than 100 people from 14 states in the U.S. (AZ, CA, CO, IL, MI, MN, NE, NY, OR, PA, SD, TX, UT, WA) have been confirmed as having measles.Measles is one of the most infectious diseases on earth; this is why Benton County Public Health and local public health agencies statewide work with the Iowa Department of Public Health to immediately alert the public about possible exposure to measles if a person is confirmed to have this disease.

Measles starts with a high fever. Soon after, it causes a cough, runny nose, and red eyes. Three to seven days after the fever, a rash of tiny, red spots breaks out. It usually starts at the head and spreads to the rest of the body. The rash can last for a week, and coughing can last for 10 days. Measles is an especially dangerous disease for babies and young children. According to the Centers for Disease Control, from 2001 to 2003 28% of children younger than 5 years old who had measles had to be treated in a hospital. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/measles/fs-parents.html Measles is a dangerous disease with complications that can include pneumonia, brain damage, deafness, and in some cases, death.

“This national measles outbreak has brought the protection provided by vaccinations back into the spotlight,” said Melissa. “It’s always important to keep your vaccinations up-to-date, but during times like this, when we know a virus is circulating in many states, it’s especially critical to check with your health care provider to be sure you and your family’s vaccinations are current.” The best way to prevent measles is to get the measles-mumps-rubella shot (called MMR). Two doses of MMR will provide more than 99 percent of people lifelong protection against measles.

Two doses of MMR are required for elementary and secondary school entry in Iowa. The first dose should be given at 12 months of age and the second dose can be administered as soon as 28 days later (however the second dose is usually administered as part of the kindergarten shots given between 4-6 years of age). Generally, persons who started elementary school in Iowa after 1991 and were up-to-date on all school entry vaccine requirements have received two doses of MMR vaccine.

It is recommended that adults born in 1957 or later receive at least one dose of MMR vaccine, or have a laboratory test proving that they are immune and are protected. It is assumed that persons born in the U.S. prior to 1957 were likely infected with the measles virus and therefore have presumptive immunity. In addition, two doses of MMR is recommended for adults of all ages who work or volunteer in health care facilities, travel internationally, or are students in a post-secondary institution, if they do not have laboratory proof of immunity.

Giving vaccines to those who may have already had measles or may have already received the recommended vaccination is not harmful; it only boosts immunity. Therefore, if someone is unable to verify prior vaccination or history of illness, the easiest, quickest and most appropriate thing to do is to vaccinate the individual.

If a resident of Benton County would have measles, all residents would be notified of places, times and locations where they could have been exposed, as well as locations of emergency vaccination clinics.

You can learn more about measles by visiting http://bit.ly/15LPJhS.