title: The importance of nosocomial transmission of measles in the propagation of a community outbreak.
abstract: In late January 1985, a measles outbreak occurred at a community hospital in Columbia county, Florida. The outbreak spread throughout the county and to two neighboring counties (Alachua and Marion), resulting in 79 cases with a 29% hospitalization rate. Hospitals represented the site with the highest frequency of transmission. At the Alachua county hospitals, where strict respiratory isolation measures were taken, no secondary cases occurred among hospitalized patients. Two independent risk factors existed for hospitalization: measles exposure in a hospital setting (P less than 0.05) and nonvaccination (P less than 0.001). Of the total measles cases, 24% were under the age of 16 months and 47% of those aged 16 months or older had a history of appropriate vaccination. Columbia county, which experienced 86% of the cases, had a 5% frequency of unvaccinated students compared to 0.6% frequency at Alachua (P less than 0.001) where only 10% of the cases occurred. This outbreak demonstrates the role of uncontrolled nosocomial transmission of measles in the propagation of a community outbreak.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville.
authors.forename: I I
authors.initials: II
authors.lastname: Raad
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Sherertz
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Rains
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Cusick
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Fauerbach
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Reuman
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Belcuore
mesh_terms: D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D005431:Florida; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008457:Measles / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D008458:Measles Vaccine / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D008458:Measles Vaccine