Three measles cases confirmed in adopted Chinese children Other airline passengers may have been exposed to measles
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a special Public Health Dispatch in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report describing a multi-state investigation of measles in children adopted from China.
This outbreak has affected adoptive families in King and Snohomish counties in Washington, and testing conducted at the Washington State Department of Health Public Health Laboratories has confirmed measles in three of these Washington adoptees.
Several children were ill with probable measles when they traveled from China to Seattle March 26, 2004, and it is possible that they exposed passengers on the same flights to measles virus.
These flights, all on March 26, 2004, were: United Flight #862 from Hong Kong to San Francisco, Cathay Pacific Flight #CX 872 from Hong Kong to San Francisco, United Flight #476 from San Francisco to Seattle and United Flight #794 from San Francisco to Seattle.
Measles may be prevented in people who are not immune by giving vaccine or medication within six days of exposure, but these cases of measles were recognized too late to provide treatment to those who may have been exposed on the airline flights.
People who are not immune to measles who were on these flights need to know that they may have been exposed to measles. People are considered immune to measles if they:
— Were born before 1957, or
— Are adequately vaccinated against measles:
— Preschool age: one dose of measles-containing vaccine (usually given as measles-mumps-rubella) after the first birthday
— School age and older: two doses of measles-containing vaccine after the first birthday, or
— Have laboratory tests that show they are immune (measles antibody titer).
Anyone who traveled on these flights and develops fever and/or rash before April 17, 2004 should call their health care provider and let them know they may have been exposed to measles and are now sick. Be sure to call first so your provider is aware you are coming and may have measles.