Experts Describe Measles As "Heat-Seeking Missile" As Florida Measles Outbreak Intensifies
Experts describe measles as "heat-seeking missile" as Florida measles outbreak intensifies. Broward County health officials announced on Friday that a seventh case of the virus has been confirmed, this time in a child under the age of 5.
Author:Hajra ShannonReviewer:Paula M. GrahamFeb 25, 20244 Shares3.9K Views
Experts describe measles as "heat-seeking missile" as Florida measles outbreak intensifies. Broward County health officials announced on Friday that a seventh case of the virus has been confirmed, this time in a child under the age of 5.
This latest patient marks the youngest individual to be infected in the outbreak and the first case detected outside of Manatee Bay Elementary School in Weston, near Fort Lauderdale. The connection between the youngest measles case and the school remains unclear. However, the spread of the virus beyond school-age children was anticipated.
Dr. David Kimberlin, co-director of the division of pediatric infectious diseases at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, emphasized that the measles cases are unlikely to remain confined to a single school, given the high infectiousness of the virus.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been at least 35 measles cases reported in 15 states as of Friday, with many linked to international travel. In January, Pennsylvania reported nine measles cases, with eight concentrated in Philadelphia. If no further cases are reported by early next week, the outbreak in Philadelphia will be declared over. Late Friday, Michigan's health department confirmed its first measles case since 2019.
The current measles outbreak in Florida is the largest in the United States. However, experts studying disease transmission have criticized Florida's health officials for their actions, or lack thereof.
Experts caution that the highly contagious nature of measles, coupled with its extended incubation period, raises concerns about the decision made by Florida's Surgeon General, Dr. Joseph Ladapo. Allowing parents to choose whether to quarantine their children or continue sending them to school could potentially facilitate the spread of cases.
"Measles is the most infectious pathogen in humans that we know of," said Kimberlin. "It's like a heat-seeking missile. It will find the people who are not immune, and they're going to get sick."
If unvaccinated individuals are exposed, they have a 90% likelihood of contracting the infection.
"Epidemiology 101 is identify and isolate," said Katelyn Jetelina, who tracks illnesses for a website called Your Local Epidemiologist. This is especially true for measles outbreaks, she said, because of how incredibly contagious the virus is and the fact that infected people can spread it for up to three weeks.
In a letter addressed to parents of the elementary school on Tuesday, Ladapo stated, "Due to the high immunity rate in the community, as well as the burden on families and educational cost of healthy children missing school, DOH is deferring to parents or guardians to make decisions about school attendance."
The letter advised parents to monitor for symptoms of measles, such as high fever, rash, and red, watery eyes. However, it did not advocate for vaccination.
How Ohio Got Measles Quickly Under Control
In 2022, when faced with a significant measles outbreak in Columbus, Ohio, Health Commissioner Dr. Mysheika Roberts took decisive action, sending a letter to parents with a markedly different message. During the outbreak, eighty-five children, primarily unvaccinated toddlers, contracted measles in central Ohio, with nearly half, 42%, requiring hospitalization.
Roberts recommended that unvaccinated children exposed to measles receive a single dose of the mumps-measles-rubella (MMR) vaccine as a form of "post-exposure prophylaxis." This measure allowed for a reduction in the quarantine period from 21 days to just 72 hours for children who received the shot.
Despite initial projections from infectious disease experts suggesting it could take six months or more to bring the outbreak under control, Roberts and her team accomplished it in just three months.
"By February, we were able to declare the outbreak over," Roberts said.
Roberts credits the success to adhering to standard public health protocols: promptly identifying and isolating infected individuals, and effectively communicating preventive measures to the public.
"We were very clear with what we needed to do to try to control this outbreak," Roberts said.
Ohio's guidance included the following measures:
- Encouraging the MMR vaccine, which provides 97% protection against infection.
- Advising that unvaccinated children who had been exposed to the virus refrain from attending school, daycare, and other activities for 21 days.
The letter from Columbus public health officials strongly recommended that families adhere to the recommended quarantine period.
"We did not leave it up to the parents," Roberts said. "It was not an order, but the way that we wrote the letter, people probably felt like they didn’t have a choice."
Since the 2022 outbreak, Ohio has only reported one measles case in 2023 and at least one case so far in 2024. According to the CDC, an estimated 1 in 5 measles patients requires hospitalization, and between one to three out of every 1,000 patients may die.
In Florida, many students at the elementary school remain vulnerable to measles, with some potentially having siblings who are too young to receive full vaccination. Additionally, vaccine exemptions in Florida have been increasing in recent years, as per CDC data.
During a school board meeting held on Wednesday, Broward County Public Schools Superintendent Peter Licata disclosed that 33 out of the 1,067 students at Manatee Bay Elementary are not vaccinated.
Maria Caballero, whose daughter attends Manatee Bay, informed reporters earlier this week that she has chosen to keep her daughter out of school for the time being. Caballero has twin baby boys who were born prematurely and are not yet eligible for the first dose of the MMR vaccine, which is typically administered starting at age 1.
"Even though my 10-year-old is fully vaccinated, I am just concerned she will get the virus and bring it home," said Caballero.
The Florida outbreak occurs amid a surge in national vaccine exemptions. According to a November CDC report, 3% of children entering kindergarten during the 2022-2023 school year received a vaccine exemption from their state. This marks the highest exemption rate ever recorded in the United States.
"More and more people are questioning vaccines and why people need vaccines," said Kimberlin, the University of Alabama doctor. "They're gonna find out pretty soon."
Hajra Shannon
Author
Paula M. Graham
Reviewer
Latest Articles
Popular Articles