B.C. measles outbreak: which adults should get vaccinated?

Monday was thefirst day back from spring break for some B.C. college students whose classmate was diagnosed withmeasles the highlycontagious virus that has broken out once again in theFraser Valley.

• Fraser Valley measles outbreak reaches Metro Vancouver campus
• 100 measles cases reported in Fraser Valley outbreak

Fraser Health says it traced aBCITstudent's measles infection to anoutbreak that showed up this month clustered aroundChilliwack'sMountCheamChristian School.

The outbreak has now spread into the general population in Fraser Valley East, and so far 100 suspected cases have been reported inChilliwackand Agassiz.

Health officials saythe only way to curb the current outbreak is isolationandvaccination.

Who should seek outthe measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine?

Vancouver Coastal Health'sDr. JohnCarsleysays any adult born before1970 is thought to be immune because they either had it or were exposed to it when they were younger.

But anyone born after 1970 should have been vaccinated against measlestwice.

"If people have leastsuspicionthey may not have had two measles vaccines, they should get one right away," he said.

What if youaren't aware of your immunization history?

Dr.MeenaDawar, also with Vancouver Coastal Health, says to check with the records on file with your family doctor, if you have one, and, if in doubt, get vaccinatedagain.

"There's no harm in getting another dose of measles-containing vaccine, so go ahead and get another dose ofMMR," she told CBC Radio One's On The Coast Monday afternoon.

But, she added, there is one major exception to the rule, and that is pregnancy.

"The vaccine is contraindicated in pregnant women, because it is a weakened form of the measles virus," she said.

A blood test can be done to checka pregnant woman's immunity, Dawarsaid, and if she is found to be at risk, an immunoglobulinscan be administered to offer her full protection.

Why is there an outbreak?

Though oncevirtuallyeradicated inCanada, measles has been making a comeback. Travellers returning fromout of the country seems to be one entry point, Dawar says.

Carsleysaid one of the reasons measles spreads so easily is that the tell-taleredrash doesn't appear until three or four days after a person comes down with other symptoms, including a fever and a cough, and the person may be infectious even before then.

"You can spread the disease before you have anysymptomsat all, that is why it is so difficult to control other than by vaccination," he said.

Measlesspreads by touch or through the air when an infected person breathes, coughsor sneezes.

Vancouver Coastal Health says the complications of measles can be serious, including respiratory problems and pneumonia.

Health officials areasking anyone with symptoms to isolate themselves at home and call ahead to their doctor, health unit, or hospital if their symptoms become severe enough to need medical attention.

• Measles: What you need to know

What are the symptoms of measles?

Symptoms of measles may develop seven to 21 days after exposure to an infected person.

Symptoms include a highfever, cough, runny nose, cough, drowsiness, irritability, and red and inflamed eyes. Small white spots may appear in the mouth andthroat.

A red blotchy rash begins to appear on the face three to seven days after the start of symptoms, then spreadsdown the body to the arms and legs. This rash usually lasts four to seven days.

Symptoms generally last from one to two weeks.