Measles Exposure Impacts Infants in Northern Utah
Eleven infants in northern Utah were potentially exposed to measles after visiting Intermountain Health’s Budge Clinic in Logan on September 15th. The exposure occurred due to contact wiht an infected individual, prompting a rapid response from multiple health agencies.
Jordan Mathis, director of the Bear River Health District (covering Box Elder, cache, and Rich Counties), described the situation as a collaborative effort between his department, the Utah Department of Health and Human Services, and Intermountain Health. The infants were considered particularly vulnerable as they were all under one year old and therefore ineligible for the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. This age group faces a heightened risk of severe complications from measles, including pneumonia, brain infection, seizures, and even death.
Fortunately, Utah maintains a stock of post-exposure prophylactic globulin, a treatment designed to prevent measles infection after exposure, specifically for situations involving individuals ineligible for vaccination. Though, the treatment is only effective when administered within six days of exposure.
“We had until Sunday to get all those individuals and get them the treatment,” Mathis stated. Families were notified of the exposure by 10 p.m. on Friday.
A special clinic was organized on Saturday, were nine families chose to have their infants receive the treatment. The remaining two infants were referred to an emergency room for intravenous governance of the globulin due to their small size.
As of Tuesday, Estee Hunt, a spokesperson for the Bear River Health District, reported that none of the infants were exhibiting any measles symptoms. Symptoms typically appear within seven to fourteen days of exposure.
Utah has recorded 41 confirmed measles cases this year, with four occurring within the Bear River Health District. While the post-exposure treatment was administered to the infants, Mathis emphasized the importance of the MMR vaccine as a preventative measure for eligible individuals, noting its 97% effectiveness after two doses. The state recommends the first dose be given on or after a child’s first birthday, and the second between ages four and six.
The infants who received the post-exposure treatment will follow a delayed schedule for their MMR vaccinations. Dr. Leisha Nolen, a Utah epidemiologist, cautioned that the state’s supply of post-exposure treatment is limited and might potentially be insufficient in the event of a larger-scale exposure.