| Printable Copy |
 |
| Printable Copy |
|
Opnion Paper
Although endemic measles was eliminated in the United States in 2000, two 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 both hospital epidemiologists and parents of vulnerable infants that are too young to receive the measles vaccine. The author contends that 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 clinical features. It is crucial that providers become familiar with this deadly disease and apply the necessary control measures to contain it, even before it is detected. More details on this opinion piece of writing are available at: http://annals.org/article.aspx?articleid=1865449