Measles is Back: The Experts Tell You What You Need to Know

For many practicing pediatric emergency physicians, measles feels like a disease from another era. In fact, measles was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000. But over the past several years, declining vaccination rates and increasing global circulation have pushed measles back into the clinical conversation. The reality is that many emergency clinicians today have never seen a true case of measles. Yet with outbreaks occurring across the country and internationally, the next febrile child with rash in your ED might not just have another viral exanthem. To help clinicians recognize and manage measles in the emergency department, I spoke with Dr. Danielle Daniels, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at SUNY Upstate, and Dr. Gregory Conners, pediatric emergency physician and Chair of Pediatrics at SUNY Upstate. Their recent review article in Pediatric Emergency Care walks through the key issues clinicians need to know – from early recognition and isolation to testing, complications, and practical ED management. measles-recording In the conversation below, we discuss:Why measles is resurgingThe biggest knowledge gaps among clinicians todayEarly clinical clues (including Koplik spots)Isolation and ED workflowTesting strategies and complicationsAnd the three key takeaways every ED clinician should remember when evaluating a febrile rash illness.Check out the video conversation and additional Pediatric Emergency Medicine content at www.HipPEMcrates.com