Measles Update
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 | | Child with Measles |
The Massachusetts Department of Health has confirmed ten cases of Measles in Massachusetts this year including 5 in the past week alone and there are several other suspected cases that have not yet been confirmed. All of these confirmed and suspect cases have either unknown or undocumented vaccination history for measles vaccine and the health department is not aware of any connections between the cases. Three of the cases confirmed last week have no history of travel or known exposure to Measles suggesting that there are other unidentified cases of measles in Massachusetts.
Measles is an acute viral disease characterized by fever, cough, sore throat, conjunctivitis, and rash (flat red spots all over the body). In young children complications include ear infections, pneumonia, laryngotracheobronchitis (croup), and diarrhea. Acute encephalitis, which often results in permanent brain damage, occurs in approximately 1 of every 1000 cases. Death, predominantly resulting from respiratory and neurologic complications, occurs in 1 to 3 of every 1000 cases reported in the United States.
Most children are vaccinated for Measles (a component of the MMR vaccine) at 1-year of age with a booster dose at 4-years. If your child is over 1-year and has not had the MMR vaccine, please consider contacting us to get him or her vaccinated as soon as possible.
More information can be found on the Massachusetts Public Health Measles Fact Sheet.
Best regards,
Terence R. McAllister, MD
Medical Director
Rebecca J. Mark, Nurse Practitioner
Medical Home Care Coordinator
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