title: Prevention of measles spread on a paediatric ward.
abstract: Since measles is a highly contagious respiratory infection with significant airborne transmission risk in hospitals, effective prevention measures are crucial. After a mother accompanying her child on a paediatric ward lacking a negative pressure room was diagnosed with measles, exposed persons without evidence of immunity (documentary evidence of receiving two doses of measles-mumps-rubella vaccine) were treated with vaccination or intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). The interruption of transmission with these treatments was evaluated. There were 44 children and 101 adults exposed to the index patient. Twenty-five children and 88 adults were considered immune, providing evidence of immunity. Nineteen children and 13 adults were either given vaccination or IVIG for post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). There were no additional cases of measles after 3 weeks follow-up. We conclude that measles is highly preventable by adequate PEP with vaccination or IVIG in a healthcare setting that lacks the benefit of a negative pressure room.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Infectious Diseases,Gazi University Faculty of Medicine,Besevler, Ankara,Turkey.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tapisiz
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Infectious Diseases,Gazi University Faculty of Medicine,Besevler, Ankara,Turkey.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Polat
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Infectious Diseases,Gazi University Faculty of Medicine,Besevler, Ankara,Turkey.
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Kara
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Infectious Diseases,Gazi University Faculty of Medicine,Besevler, Ankara,Turkey.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tezer
authors.affiliation: Gazi University Hospital,Ankara,Turkey.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Simsek
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases,Gazi University Faculty of Medicine,Besevler, Ankara,Turkey.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Aktas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008457:Measles / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008458:Measles Vaccine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D056990:Post-Exposure Prophylaxis / Q000379:methods; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D007136:Immunoglobulins; D008458:Measles Vaccine
keywords: Measles (rubeola)