#303 Measles in the OR

Measles can walk into your OR before the rash ever shows up, and that’s what makes perioperative measles planning so high stakes. We break down the timing that drives everything: incubation, the contagious window from four days before rash onset through four days after, and how recent exposure during an outbreak should change your elective surgery decisions.We also zoom out to the bigger picture behind today’s resurgence of measles, including declining vaccination rates and travel-related reintroduction. Then we get practical about what anesthesia professionals need at the bedside: how to confirm immunity status, what symptoms and complications to watch for, and why supportive care is still the core treatment strategy since there are no antivirals. We talk through high-risk groups, from infants to pregnant and immunocompromised patients, and why measles immune suppression can create downstream risk for secondary infection and delayed wound healing well after the acute illness.On the infection control side, we outline the precautions that protect your team and your facility: strict contact and airborne precautions and smart workflow choices like limiting staff to those with confirmed immunity status and using a negative pressure room for urgent or emergent procedures when possible. We also cover post-exposure prophylaxis options that can prevent or blunt infection, including vaccine timing and when immune globulin is indicated.For the full checklist mindset, we point you to the featured APSF article and the summary table that pulls the perioperative considerations together. Subscribe, share this with a colleague who takes call, and leave a review so more clinicians can find clear guidance on measles anesthesia safety and operating room infection control.For show notes & transcript, visit our episode page at apsf.org: https://www.apsf.org/podcast/303-measles-in-the-or/© 2026, The Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation