"It doesn't have to be this way" Infection prevention expert weighs in on Colorado's measles cases
After seeing the latest case of measles in Colorado, an infection prevention manager with Common Spirit, Aaron Parmet, said things are changing in the fight against the extremely contagious disease.
The reported cases have been similar in the sense that in the first two, the patients had recently visited Mexico, but in the third case out of Pagosa Springs, the patient had no obvious travel history where an exposure to the virus could be found. That unknown has Parmet concerned.
"There's clearly cases out there that haven't been caught yet," Parmet said. "It's mind blowing to me because it doesn't have to be this way."
Parmet referenced that the United States had essentially eradicated the spread of the disease only a few decades ago, thanks to the help of a long-standing vaccine helping to establish herd immunities in the wider community. Now, Parmet said, given an opportunity to spread once again amongst pockets of mostly unvaccinated groups, the disease has a foothold in Colorado once again.
"One case can actually cause 18 additional cases on average; that's what measles does," Parmet explained. "It's actually the most infectious disease that we know of, the best spreader. It is airborne and spreads more easily through the air than any other disease that we know of."
To create an example of just how easily it spreads through unvaccinated populations, Parmet said should someone with measles walk through a room, nine out of ten people would catch the disease, and it would remain contagious in that room for two hours after the sick person walked through it. While measles can be deadly at a rate of 1-3 per 1,000 cases, Parmet said not only should no one have to die from a preventable disease, but the lasting health consequences from simply catching it can change your life.
"Many (patients) experience lifelong hearing loss, that doesn't need to happen. One out of 20 will get pneumonia. It can cause neurological effects, which can also be lifelong. It can cause brain swelling," Parmet said. "That's a terrible thing that also is completely preventable."
While he wants people to take the threat of measles seriously, he warned against a full-blown panic over the cases in Colorado now. He suggested making sure vaccinations are up to date, as they can grant immunity for a lifetime, which can help protect weaker folks in the population.
"The good news about measles, even with it being so contagious, is that we have a way to stop it. The vaccine is unbelievably effective," Parmet said.
Parmet said if you believe you might have been exposed to measles, let your doctor know about your exposure before heading into the office for treatment.
