ALERT

Wisconsin Division of Public Health issues measles alert

The following alert was issued today by the Wisconsin Division of Public Health (DPH):

A positive case of measles has been reported in an unimmunized 23-month-old child from Milwaukee County. The symptom onset was on March 26, 2008 with rash onset on March 27, 2008. The Measles IgM was positive on a serology specimen drawn on April 3, 2008. No known source has been identified and there had been no out-of-state travel during the probable source period. Day care and other close contacts are being followed. There was no known travel of the case outside of Milwaukee County during the child's infectious period. The next generation of cases would be expected to occur in the period of April 7-April 13, 2008.

As this child has had no out-of-state travel, has no known source of infection and the fact that cases of measles are occurring in other parts of the United States, health care professionals are asked to maintain a high index of suspicion of measles in patients presenting with rash/fever illnesses. Patients that present with such symptoms should be taken immediately to negative pressure isolation rooms for diagnosis. If phone contact is made ahead of any visit, steps should be taken to isolate the patient upon arrival to the health care facility. On any suspect case seen please submit an acute blood specimen for confirmation. In addition, NP and throat swabs and a urine sample (in that order of importance) should be submitted to the State Laboratory of Hygiene for genotyping. The immunization status of any accompanying family member should be reviewed and MMR vaccine offered when applicable. Health care providers should inform the local health department immediately of any suspect cases, do not wait for laboratory confirmation.

DPH encourages health care professionals to take this opportunity to review the immunization/immune status for measles for all staff that may have patient contact (click here). A synopsis of the immunization recommendations for the general population will be detailed by DPH in a later communication.

If you have questions, please contact Immunization Program Manager Daniel Hopfensperger at 608.266.1339.