Visitors to the DFW airport could have been exposed to measles this month, officials say | Public health

The following persons should receive the vaccine if they travel abroad or where the measles outbreak is active:

Infants 6 to 11 months of age should receive one dose of measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine.

Children 12 months of age and older should receive two doses of MMR vaccine spaced at least 28 days apart.

Adults must be sure they have received at least two doses of MMR vaccine. People born between 1957 and 1989 may have received only one dose and received a second, officials said.

Anyone who falls ill should inform their medical office of their contact with a person with measles before going for an appointment.

Stay at home and away from other people until your doctor tells you whether or not you have measles, advised the Tarrant County Health Department.

According to Texas State Department Health Services, 15 measles cases were confirmed this year in Texas this year.

Signs and symptoms

It usually takes about two weeks from the time of exposure to the virus for a rash to develop, but it can take up to three weeks. People are contagious four to four days before the onset of rash and up to four days after its onset. They must seek medical treatment and isolate at home.

The rash starts on the face with red and flat spots and extends into the neck and trunk up to the rest of the body.

Other symptoms include fever over 101 degrees, coughing, runny nose, and red, watery eyes.

People with symptoms who think they have been exposed to the virus should contact their health care provider prior to a visit so that precautions can be taken to avoid exposure of staff members and other patients.

About one in four people who contract measles will be hospitalized and one in 1,000 will develop brain swelling due to an infection that can lead to brain damage. One or two out of 1000 people with measles will die, even with the "best care," said the CDC.