MEASLES INFORMATION/RESOURCES FOR PARTNERS
Here's what you can do:
1. Send an e-mail blast to your members.
CDC drafted the following message that you can share with healthcare professionals in your network:
From December 28, 2014 through January 21, 2015, more than 50 people from six states were reported to have measles. Most of these cases are part of a large, ongoing outbreak linked to an amusement park in California
. CDC urges healthcare professionals to consider measles when evaluating patients with febrile rash and ask about a patient's recent international travel history and travel to domestic venues frequented by international travelers.
What Should Clinicians Do?
- Ensure all patients are up to date on measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine.
- Consider measles in patients presenting with febrile rash illness and clinically compatible measles symptoms (cough, coryza, and conjunctivitis), and ask patients about recent travel internationally or to domestic venues frequented by international travelers, as well as a history of measles exposures in their communities.
- Promptly isolate patients with suspected measles to avoid disease transmission and immediately report the suspect measles case to the health department. - Obtain specimens for testing from patients with suspected measles, including viral specimens for genotyping, which can help determine the source of the virus. Contact the local health department with questions about submitting specimens for testing.
For more information, including guidelines for patient evaluation, diagnosis and management, visit: www.cdc.gov/measles/hcp/
2. Post the button and banner below on your websites and blogs targeting healthcare professionals.
The button and banner will remind clinicians to consider measles diagnoses. They link to CDC’s measles webpage for healthcare professionals. Get these web tools here: www.cdc.gov/measles/resources/
3. Share information about measles with parents and the public.
CDC has a recent article for parents about measles that you can link to from your consumer-friendly websites: www.cdc.gov/features/measles/
4. Learn more about measles and encourage your members to do the same.
Below is information about measles that you can promote to other healthcare professionals:
- View an archived Immunization NetConference (CIINC) from 2014: www.cdc.gov/vaccines/ed/ciinc/2014-05-22.html
- View a CDC Expert Commentary video on Medscape about measles: www.medscape.com/viewarticle/828508
More information: www.cdc.gov/measles/cases-outbreaks.html
Thank you for your assistance!