MEASLES

Course overview

MEASLES, ALSO KNOWN AS RUBEOLA, IS A PREVENTABLE, HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS, ACUTE FEBRILE VIRAL ILLNESS. IT REMAINS AN IMPORTANT CAUSE OF GLOBAL MORTALITY AND MORBIDITY, PARTICULARLY IN THE REGIONS OF AFRICA AND SOUTHEAST ASIA. IT ACCOUNTS FOR ABOUT 100,000 DEATHS ANNUALLY DESPITE THE AVAILABILITY OF AN EFFECTIVE VACCINE. PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS DECLARED THE ELIMINATION OF MEASLES FROM THE U.S. IN 2000, MARKING THE ABSENCE OF CONTINUOUS DISEASE TRANSMISSION FOR ONE YEAR AND FROM THE REGION OF THE AMERICAS IN 2016. HOWEVER, OUTBREAKS CONTINUE TO OCCUR THROUGH IMPORTED DISEASE AND TRANSMISSION AMONG UNVACCINATED GROUPS OF CHILDREN IN THE COMMUNITY. ACCORDING TO THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL (CDC), THERE WERE 372 CASES IN 2018 AND 764 CASES THROUGH MAY OF 2019. THIS ACTIVITY PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW OF MEASLES PREVENTION, TRANSMISSION, AND DIAGNOSIS, AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN HELPING THEIR PATIENTS PREVENT THIS DISEASE.