Highest Number of US Measles Cases since 1996 (per CDC)

[liveonearth]

most (136/156) acquired during travel
of unvaccinated Americans to countries with outbreaks
1/1/11-6/17/11-->156 confirmed cases reported to CDC
imported infections-->12 outbreaks (defined as 3+ linked cases)
of the total: 86 (62%) unvaccinated, 30 (22%) undocumented vaccination status,
11 (8%) had received 1 MMR dose, 11 (8%) had 2 doses, and 1 (1%) had 3 documented doses
measles was declared eliminated in the US in 2000 dt successful vaccine coverage (2-dose)
endemic/outbreaks still occuring in Europe (France, UK, Spain, Switzerland), Africa, Asia (incl India)

Measles
highly contagious acute viral illness
trans: resp droplets, virus stays contagious up to 2 hours on surfaces or in air
complic: pneumonia, encephalitis
space vaccine administrations out at least 28 days

evidence of measles immunity for international travelers: any one of these:
birth before 1957
documented administration of 2 doses of live measles virus vaccine (MMR, MMRV, or measles vaccines)
laboratory (serologic) proof of immunity
documentation of physician-diagnosed measles

consider the dx if:
febrile rash illness lasting 3+ days
temperature of 101°F (38.3°C) or higher
sx: cough, coryza, and/or conjunctivitis
and recent traveled abroad or had contact other infx person
immunocompromised patients may not exhibit rash, or mb atypical rash
incubation ~10d, rash usu appears ~14d after exposure
response: isolate! get specimens for confirmation

SOURCE
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/745167?src=mpnews&spon=34

Comments

[liveonearth.livejournal.com]

Oh and specifically about the MMR: I think it's a good and useful vaccine, best given *around* age 1 with a booster to follow. (If you wait to give the vaccine until the child's immune system is able to respond, you don't need as many shots.) The Mumps vaccine doesn't seem so important, but Rubella can cause birth defects and is worth keeping to a minimum in our population via maintaining herd immunity. As is measles, just because it is a severe illness with a high complication rate.