SLO County resident contracts measles

January 11, 2017

measlesSan Luis Obispo County Public Health officials have confirmed a local resident has contracted measles. The patient is an adult who was not vaccinated against the disease and who came in contact with international travelers over the holidays, according to the public health department.

The individual began displaying symptoms of measles on Jan. 3. Then on Sunday and Monday, the person went to the Twin Cities Community Hospital emergency room.

Twin Cities in Templeton is currently in the process of verifying that hospital staffers exposed to the patient have been fully vaccinated against the virus. Officials are also contacting hospital patients and visitors who were exposed to the patient

The measles patient is cooperating with public health investigators.

“Measles is a serious disease that can be easily prevented,” SLO County Deputy Health Officer Dr. Christy Mulkerin said. “Vaccination is the best way to protect against measles. Two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine are approximately 97 percent effective at preventing disease in exposed persons.”

The SLO County measles case follows a recent outbreak of the disease in Los Angeles County, as well as one person contracting the virus in Santa Barbara County. It is currently unknown if those cases are related.

Measles spreads through coughing or sneezing. Measles symptoms generally appear about seven to 14 days after a person is infected.

The infected person typically develops a high fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes. Two or three days later, tiny white spots may appear inside the mouth.

A rash consisting of tiny, red spots then breaks out. The rash starts on the face and spreads to the rest of the body.

Measles patients are typically contagious for about nine days, including the four days prior to the rash breaking out.

The measles virus can cause serious complications, especially for young children. Measles can lead to pneumonia, encephalitis — swelling of the brain — and death.

It is not very common for United States residents to contract the virus because most people in the country are vaccinated. But, measles is still common elsewhere in the world, including in many countries in Europe, Asia, the Pacific and Africa. Every year, unvaccinated Americans contract measles while abroad, and they bring the disease into the United States, where it spreads to others.

Public health officials say it is very important for people to be up to date on vaccinations, particularly before traveling abroad. Those who have had measles in the past or who have been vaccinated against the disease are considered immune by Center for Disease Control and Prevention standards.


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World travel should also bring about a global vaccination standard that is strictly enforced.


La-La-Laaaaaaaa


Some Special Snowflake…


Laaa-Tee dah-dee dah


Measles is highly contagious. It is carried from person to person via air droplets, and those air droplets can linger in the air for up to two hours. The MMR vaccine is readily available to protect against this disease, and if a person wants to see if they have immunity, a titer/lab can be drawn.


If memory serves, I think this immunization became mass disseminated around 1981. In addition, measles made its rounds in the years leading up to 1981, so there are people in their late 30s and older who may have contracted it prior to the vaccines.


I guess what I’m trying to say is that people should make sure they are protected against diseases like measles. If you aren’t sure you had a vaccine as a child, talk to your doctor or health department and get them!


If my recollection of history is correct, the measles was like a killer plague to the native people of this continent.


I believe it was small pox.


You may be right, just remembered a euro bug they had no resistance to.


It is interesting to note that many very contagious illnesses had been completely eradicated from this nation.