Annals of Internal Medicine
15 July 2014, Vol. 161. No. 2
http://annals.org/issue.aspx

Ideas and Opinions | 15 July 2014
Ready or Not: Responding to Measles in the Postelimination Era
Julia Shaklee Sammons, MD, MSCE
Article and Author Information
Ann Intern Med. 2014;161(2):145-146. doi:10.7326/M14-0892

Although endemic measles was eliminated in the United States in 2000 (1), 2 concurrent measles outbreaks at opposite ends of the country offer a sobering reminder of the threat of this global disease. As more parents decline to vaccinate their children, measles incidence is increasing—a fact that alarms me both as a hospital epidemiologist and as a parent of a vulnerable infant too young to receive the measles vaccine. Because infected patients are likely to seek medical care, hospitals and clinics may inadvertently fuel transmission if patients with measles are not rapidly triaged and isolated. Yet, because of the success of the measles vaccine, many clinicians have never seen measles and may not be able to recognize its features. It is crucial that providers become familiar with this deadly disease and apply the necessary control measures to contain it…
…As measles incidence increases, clinicians have a vital role to play. We need to talk to our patients about measles vaccination and remind them what is at stake if imported measles cases continue to land in communities of unvaccinated persons, especially for those who are too young or ineligible to be vaccinated. Meanwhile, we must ensure that our facilities do not become centers for secondary measles transmission—prompt recognition of suspected cases and rapid implementation of control measures are critical to prevent further spread.