SA Health has been notified of a case of measles in a returned traveller. This is the sixth measles case in South Australia this year, with three cases reported last year. People in the following locations at the specified times may have been exposed to the measles virus:
- Women’s and Children’s Hospital Emergency Department, on Saturday 15 June from 1:45am to Sunday 16 June 3:20am
- Premium Care Medical Practice, Shop 105B Hollywood Plaza, Salisbury Downs, on Wednesday 12 June from 5:00pm to 6:00pm and Friday 14 June from 2:00pm to 3:00pm
- Benson Radiology, located in Modbury Hospital, on Thursday 13 June from 2:00pm to 3:15pm
- SA Pathology, located in Modbury Hospital, on Thursday 13 June from 3:00pm to 4:00pm
- Adelaide Airport, on Tuesday 11 June from 11:30pm to Wednesday 12 June 12:30am
- Flight QF749 from Sydney to Adelaide, on Tuesday 11 June
- Flight EK416 Dubai to Sydney, arriving on Tuesday 11 June
Measles is a highly contagious viral infection transmitted via respiratory aerosols that remain a risk to others for up to 30 minutes after the person has left the area. The incubation period is about 10 days (range 7 to 18 days) to the onset of prodromal symptoms and about 14 days to rash appearance. The rash classically appears 4 days after prodrome onset. The illness is characterised by cough, coryza, conjunctivitis, a descending morbilliform rash, and fever present at the time of rash onset. The infectious period is from 24 hours prior to onset of the prodrome until 4 days after the onset of the rash.
Doctors are encouraged to:
- Offer post exposure prophylaxis to non-immune contacts who have been at exposure sites listed above as per Measles CDNA National Guidelines for Public Health Units.
- Notify urgently any patient with suspected measles to the CDCB on 1300 232 272
(24 hours /7 days). Do not wait for laboratory confirmation. - At the time of consultation, take a throat swab in viral transport media (preferred specimen) and urine in a yellow top container both for measles PCR; and measles serology and arrange urgent laboratory testing through SA Pathology. Do not send the patient to a laboratory collection centre.
- Isolate suspected and confirmed measles cases and exclude from child-care/ school/ workplace for 4 days after rash appearance.
- Minimise transmission of measles:
- Examine patients suspected of having measles in their own homes wherever possible.
- Ensure the patient is only seen by practice staff with confirmed immunity to measles.
- Wear a correctly fitted particulate filter respirator (i.e. P2/N95) and eye protection.
- Ensure suspected cases do not use the waiting room, and conduct the consultation in a room that can be left vacant for at least 30 minutes afterwards.
- Treat all people who attend the rooms at the same time as and up to 30 minutes after the infectious patient has left the rooms as contacts.
Measles vaccination
- Two doses of a measles containing vaccine are highly effective at preventing measles. Offer measles vaccine (unless contraindicated, for example in pregnant women or immunosuppression) to all potentially susceptible persons who attend your practice. See Australian Immunisation Handbook.
- Most people born in Australia before 1966 will have had measles in childhood and be immune (unless immunosuppressed). In Australia during the late 1960s to mid-1980s only one measles vaccine was routine, hence people born during this time may require an additional vaccine to be immune.
- Consider MMR vaccination in infants from 6 months of age travelling to countries where measles is endemic or outbreaks are occurring (if given <12 months, 2 subsequent doses will be required).
Further clinical information is available at www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/InfectiousDiseaseControl
For all enquires please contact the CDCB on 1300 232 272 (24 hours/7 days)
Dr Louise Flood – Deputy Director, Communicable Disease Control Branch
