A third-grader in Broward County with no history of travel has been diagnosed with measles.
Because measles is highly contagious, the local office of the Florida Department of Health in Broward on Friday notified facilities and health care providers that the patient may have visited as well as individuals who may have been exposed,
In the last six months, a measle case also was reported in Miami-Dade and Seminole counties. Both were acquired after travel outside the United States. Broward’s is the third case in Florida within six months, according to Florida Department of Health disease surveillance.
Measles, preventable via vaccination, spreads through the air by breathing, coughing, or sneezing. It can be transmitted four days before a body rash becomes visible and up to four days after the rash appears. Other symptoms include fever, cough, congestion, fatigue and conjunctivitis (pink eye) as well as tiny white spots with bluish-white centers found inside the mouth.
The Florida Department of Health in Broward County is requesting measles testing for anyone that presents with a combination of a generalized rash lasting more than three days, a temperature above 101°F and other sypmtoms. The preferred testing method is a combination of PCR and serologic testing.
Measles was thought to be eradicated in the United States in 2000, but has been cropping up in parts of the country as more Americans forego vaccination. Most recently, between Dec. 1, 2023, and Jan. 23, 2024, there have been 23 confirmed cases of measles with infections reported in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and the Washington, D.C. area., according to a CDC alert issued in January.
Europe, particularly the United Kingdom, is battling an outbreak of measles. The UK Health Security Agency has recorded more than 300 cases since Oct. 1.
Some of the recent cases could be attributed to missed doses of the MMR vaccine during the pandemic. The MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine is two doses, the first dose at 12 to 15 months and the second dose at 4 to 6 years old.
There is a concern in the U.S. that emergency room doctors who are unfamiliar with measles may overlook the disease as a possible diagnosis if a child comes in with a rash and a fever.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said every individual infected by measles can spread it to up to 10 close contacts if they are unprotected, including not wearing a mask or not being vaccinated.
Adults and children may respond to the disease differently. About one in five people will be hospitalized. In children, especially those younger than 5, measles can cause serious health complications including ear infections, diarrhea, pneumonia, encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), and even death, according to the CDC.
Sun Sentinel health reporter Cindy Goodman can be reached at cgoodman@sunsentinel.com.