|
Dear PAS
Attendee-to-be:
Yesterday, we became aware of an
outbreak of the measles that British Columbia generally
and Vancouver specifically is experiencing. While we
believe that the risks are slight, we are taking this
opportunity to alert persons attending our meeting about
the situation and precautions that might be considered.
Facts about the
measles outbreak in Vancouver:
There has been a small outbreak of
measles in British Columbia, which likely resulted from
traveler-borne transmission during the Winter Olympics.
To date, there have been 18 confirmed cases in the
Vancouver area (out of a population in excess of
600,000). Because the measles immunization rate in
British Columbia is quite high, the public health
authorities there are not anticipating that this
outbreak will spread much. In fact, it is possible that
this outbreak will have died out by the time of our
meeting, but that, of course, cannot be guaranteed.
What should PAS
attendees and any accompanying individuals do?
To provide informed recommendations,
we sought the advice of infectious disease experts
within the PAS member organizations as well as from an
expert at the United States’ Centers for Disease Control
(CDC). Here is the collective wisdom:
-
Individuals born before 1957: Persons
born before 1957 are highly likely to
have been exposed to measles and do not
require immunization.
-
Individuals born in 1957 or later:
Persons born in 1957 or later who
received two doses of MMR vaccine, have
laboratory evidence of immunity or had
physician-diagnosed measles in the past
are presumed to be protected against
measles. Such persons require no
further immunization.
Of note:
Most health care providers will have previously
documented their evidence of immunity against measles in
order to qualify for employment at a hospital during
their training or afterwards.
Individuals who do not have evidence of measles immunity
are at risk for contracting measles. It is recommended
that they receive the measles vaccine as soon as
possible prior to traveling to Vancouver.
-
Young children:
Attendees who intend to bring infants or
young children to Vancouver are advised
to consult with their children’s
physicians about the proper course of
action. For children over the age of 12
months, the standard CDC recommendations
for travel are to provide a 2nd
dose of the MMR at least 28 days after
the prior first dose. The official
travel recommendation of the CDC for
infants between the ages of 6 and 11
months is to administer one dose of
measles-containing vaccine. Those
recommendations, however, are premised
on travel to high-risk locations; it is
unclear whether the small outbreak in
Vancouver crosses that threshold.
To summarize, the public health
officials in Vancouver have assured the PAS that the
measles outbreak there is small and unlikely to spread.
The overwhelming majority of the PAS attendees and
accompanying individuals should not require additional
vaccination. Adults who do not have evidence of prior
measles immunity should seek MMR vaccination now.
Individuals bringing infants or very young children
should consult with their physicians about the best
course of action.
For those interested, the following
are some websites that document best practices with
respect to measles immunization:
CDC Travelers
Recommendations:
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2010/chapter-2/measles.aspx
CDC
Recommendations for Healthcare Providers:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p2017.pdf
Advisory
Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP):
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/ACIP-list.htm
We look forward to see everyone in
Vancouver in a couple of weeks.
Sincerely,
The
Operating Committee of the Pediatric Academic Societies’
Annual Meeting
|
