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Abstract gouldd@cardiff.ac.uk
Measles is one of the most contagious of all infectious diseases and less than 15 minutes’ exposure can result in Dinah Gould is professor
of nursing, Cardiff University,
infection for individuals who have not been fully vaccinated or who lack natural immunity. It is spread by minute Cardiff, Wales
aerosol droplets. Complications occur frequently and range from mild to life threatening. The prevention and
control of measles is taken seriously by the World Health Organization and public health authorities in the UK. Keywords
Public Health professionals should have a high level of awareness of measles and its risks, to help identify new Disease outbreaks, immunity,
measles, mumps, public health,
cases and implement measures to prevent and control spread.
public health nursing, rubella,
vaccination
MEASLES IS an acute, highly contagious infection ■ Explain to parents the side effects that can arise from
that affects mainly children, but can occur at any age. the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination. Conflict of interest
None declared
Young people who have not been fully vaccinated and ■ Discuss infection prevention and control in
individuals who do not have natural immunity are clinical settings. This article has been subject to
at greatest risk. Immunity following infection usually Now do time out 1. double-blind peer review and
checked using antiplagiarism
lasts for life.
Throughout 2012 and early 2013, the UK saw 1 Check your knowledge software
rcnpublishing.com/r/
Most of those affected were children and young adults,
go online to check your understanding of the phc-author-guidelines
who developed complications ranging from mild to
following terms: antibody, antigen, autism,
serious and life threatening. Even when recovery is
herd immunity, bacteria, encephalitis,
uneventful, measles can be frightening for parents as
epidemic, immunoglobulin, incidence, otitis
well as distressing for the individual, disrupting
media, outbreak, pneumonia, prodrome,
family life and resulting in time away from school
pyrexia, RNA, vaccination, virus.
and other activities.
Public Health England (PHE) recommends that health
professionals have a high level of awareness of measles The measles virus
and its risks to ensure public health measures can be Morbillivirus, which is a single-stranded, enveloped
implemented swiftly to prevent spread. ribonucleic acid (RNA) virus belonging to the
paramyxovirus family, is the cause of measles.
Aims and intended learning outcomes In old textbooks, it is sometimes called morbilli.
The aim of this article is to provide an overview of
measles: signs and symptoms, diagnosis, risk of Dissemination
complications, strategies for prevention and control, Measles is one of the most contagious infectious
and assessment and management of patients in diseases. The virus is spread in minute aerosol
community and hospital settings. droplets 1-5 µm in size, released by coughing, sneezing
After reading this article you should be able to: and spluttered conversation. The small droplets can
■ State the signs and symptoms of measles. remain suspended in air long after they have been shed
■ List the complications that can result. and transmission is by droplet inhalation. The virus is
■ Discuss the public health measures that can be so contagious that physical contact is unnecessary for
taken to prevent and control the spread of measles. infection to occur: it can be spread through contact
susceptible children.
Initially, the introduction of the MMR vaccine
prevented outbreaks of measles, however, in the
1990s and 2000s, public concern about the safety of
the combined vaccine resulted in poor uptake. This is
considered the reason for the increase in infections
reported in 2012 and early 2013.
be distressing, they are not usually serious and as the rash appears. Accuracy declines after two weeks
resolve spontaneously. and the test is not reliable six weeks after onset.
Febrile convulsions (fits) are estimated to occur in
0.5% of cases. Although they are alarming for parents, Public health measures
they do not usually cause lasting health problems. At one Because the virus is so contagious, public health
time, it was thought there was an association between measures to prevent and control the spread of measles
a child having febrile convulsions and developing epilepsy, are important, even in countries where the incidence
however there is no evidence that this is the case. of the infection is low. The key measures are:
Children who have had measles can develop a squint if ■ MMR vaccination.
the virus particles affect the nerves or muscles serving ■ Surveillance and notification of cases.
the eye. There is also a risk of otitis media through ■ Control of established outbreaks.
secondary bacterial infection. ■ Isolation of infectious cases and suspected cases.
Complications are more likely for individuals who Now do time out 2.
experience severe infection, but occasionally previously
healthy people can develop either a severe infection 2 Public health management
or life-threatening complications. Pregnant women,
Access the Public Health England (2014)
Time out
babies younger than 12 months and people who are
website and look at the information provided
immunocompromised, such as those with HIV/AIDS or
about the public health management of
those undergoing chemotherapy, are at particular risk.
measles. From your reading, explain from
Fatality is highest for those younger than 12 months,
the perspective of public health to a junior
lowest for children aged between one and nine years,
colleague why early detection of one or more
increasing again for older children and young adults.
cases of measles is important.
before the child was born, the child is usually immune Measles is one of a range of infectious conditions that can
because of protection by maternal antibodies in utero. result in pyrexia and general malaise, accompanied by
If the mother has not had measles, the child can be a rash. Individuals may be genuinely mistaken about the
protected by receiving an injection of HNIG that contains nature of a previous infection, especially one that occurred
antibodies. Protection is immediate, but short-term only. years ago when they were very young, and may assume
that they have had measles when they have not.
Surveillance Monitoring infection rates can detect A salivary test can be undertaken to identify the
changes in the baseline rate to identify trends and presence of measles-specific antibodies. If it is negative
permit rapid action to be undertaken to control after exposure to a case of measles, post-exposure
outbreaks (Thacker and Berkelman 1988). Enhanced prophylaxis can be offered.
surveillance for measles was introduced in the UK in If an outbreak occurs, it is managed by a specially
1994, organised through the Centre for Infections, convened outbreak control team. Members will include
which is responsible for reporting cases every month. specialists in health protection, education representatives
The reports are shared with the WHO and the European from the local authority, members of the school nursing
Surveillance Network. service and GPs. Representatives from the local NHS
Because of the high contagiousness of measles, acute trust are likely to include a microbiologist, infection
medical practitioners in the UK are required to notify control nurse and paediatrician.
the relevant public health authorities of all suspected
and actual cases by telephone. Written confirmation is Isolation of infectious cases PHE (2013a) has developed
required within three days. Standard letters from the guidelines for managing people with measles and
public health bodies are available to be sent to schools suspected infection in primary care and other settings.
and nurseries attended by children who have measles. These emphasise that staff employed in reception areas
should be aware that patients complaining of a rash
National catch-up programme This initiative was or pyrexia should be given appointments at the end of
announced by the PHE in April 2013 (NHS Choices clinic sessions so they encounter as few other patients
2013c). The aim was to offer MMR vaccination to as many as possible, and they should be asked to wait in rooms
previously unvaccinated 10-16 year olds as possible before away from the main reception areas.
the next school year to reduce the increasing number of Patients with measles should be excluded from
confirmed cases despite high vaccine uptake. In 2012, childcare settings, schools and workplaces for the first
94% of five year olds had received the initial vaccine five days after the appearance of the rash, when they
dose and 90% had received their second dose, yet there are most likely to be infectious. If hospital admission is
were 2,000 confirmed cases of measles that year; necessary, the infection control team should be contacted
by the end of March 2013, there were 587 confirmed in advance because full source isolation will be required.
cases (PHE 2013a). Of these, 20% were admitted to Now do time out 4.
hospital and 15 developed severe complications, mainly
pneumonia or meningitis (PHE 2013b). 4 Prevention
A similar campaign was launched in Wales (Public
Design a care plan to prevent the spread
Time out
Box 5 Advice on looking after a preschool child mild to life threatening. Recent upsurges in
with fever confirmed cases, attributed to low levels of vaccine
■ Paracetamol or ibuprofen can be given to reduce uptake throughout the 1990s and early 2000s in
distress. These should be discontinued as soon as response to public concern about the safety of the
the child is no longer distressed. MMR vaccine, has imposed a burden on UK health
■ If the medication used does not help reduce services and resulted in considerable morbidity
distress, another can be tried; more than one type and at least one death.
of medication should not be given simultaneously. Nurses in primary care have an important role
■ Avoid giving antipyretic agents solely to reduce in the early identification of measles cases and the
temperature: these may adversely affect the implementation of public health measures required
long-term outcomes of illness. to prevent and control the spread of the infection.
Those in other settings may encounter children or young
(Adapted from National Institute for Health and Care Excellence 2013)
adults with suspected or confirmed measles, and they
to go home. Box 5 outlines advice for parents caring for need to be familiar with the precautions necessary
a preschool child with fever at home. to prevent spread.
Now do time out 6.
Health staff and vaccination
The MMR vaccination is offered routinely to health 6 Reflective account
professionals whose work is likely to bring them in direct
Now that you have finished the article,
Time out
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