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PA Health Department Announces Likely Second Case of Measles at Little League World Series

Posted on: Friday, 24 August 2007, 21:17 CDT

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa., Aug. 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- State Health Department officials today announced a likely second case of measles identified among international visitors attending the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Lycoming County.

The patient is a 12-year-old boy from Japan who arrived in the United States on Aug. 15 with a group of approximately 25 children and parents to visit Williamsport. The boy and his close contacts are being evaluated and immunized as needed. This patient had contact in Japan with the first measles case, a 12-year-old Japanese baseball team member, who was identified last week.

The Department of Health is asking anyone who attended Little League World Series events from Aug. 16-20 and is not currently immune to measles to contact his or her local health department or the state Health Department at 1-877-PA-HEALTH. Most people in the United States have some immunity to measles because they were exposed to the disease naturally prior to 1957 or they have received two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine.

In addition, the Health Department will open a clinic to provide information and the MMR vaccine at the Little League International Complex in Williamsport on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Measles is caused by the highly contagious measles virus. Symptoms will begin about ten days after exposure and include a runny nose, watery eyes, cough and a high fever. After two to three days, tiny white spots appear near the mouth and after two more days, a raised, red rash starts to spread on the face, down the body and out to the arms and legs. The rash will usually last four to seven days.

An individual with measles can spread the virus to others for five days before and five days after the rash begins. It is spread by infected droplets during sneezing or coughing, touching contaminated objects, and direct contact with infected nasal or throat secretions. Infected droplets and secretions can remain contagious on surfaces for up to two hours.

Complications from measles can include problems ranging from ear infection, diarrhea and pneumonia to encephalitis, which is an inflammation of the brain, and even death. Measles can also cause miscarriages or premature delivery in pregnant women.

The following groups of individuals may be more at risk of becoming infected with measles:

-- Infants who are too young to have been immunized (less than one year of age); -- Persons who received immune globulin around the same time as when they were vaccinated against measles; -- Persons who were vaccinated with an inactivated vaccine, which was used from 1963 through 1967, and have not been revaccinated; and -- Those who refused vaccination, or are from a part of the world where there is low vaccination coverage.

The MMR vaccine is given to toddlers when they are 12 to 15 months of age, and a second MMR vaccine is required for all Pennsylvania school children. However, individuals who have received only one dose of the vaccine, instead of the recommended two doses, may still be susceptible to the virus. The MMR vaccine can help prevent infection if it is given within three days of exposure.

Individuals should consult a health professional for more information about risks associated with the vaccine for people with certain health conditions. There is no risk in getting an additional dose of the MMR vaccine for individuals who may have already received it.

For more information about measles and the MMR vaccine, visit http://www.health.state.pa.us/ or call 1-877-PA-HEALTH.

CONTACT: Larissa Bedrick

717-576-3712

Pennsylvania Department of Health

CONTACT: Larissa Bedrick of Pennsylvania Department of Health,+1-717-576-3712

Web site: http://www.state.pa.us/

Source: PRNewswire-USNewswire

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