On Friday, officials from the Bear River Health Department found themselves racing against time when they discovered that 11 infants in their district had been exposed to measles just days earlier. The health department needed to swiftly notify the infants' families and provide necessary post-exposure treatment to ensure the effectiveness of the medicine. The exposure occurred after the infants visited the same clinic as an infected individual.
Bear River Health Director Jordan Mathis, who oversees Box Elder, Cache, and Rich Counties, detailed the collaborative efforts that ensued among his department, the Utah Department of Health and Human Services, and Intermountain Health. Together, these agencies aimed to mitigate the infants’ risk of infection. The exposure incident took place at Intermountain Health’s Budge Clinic in Logan on September 15, with the infants being particularly vulnerable due to their young age, which heightened their risk of severe complications such as pneumonia, brain infections, seizures, or even death.
Since all the affected infants were under the age of one, they had not yet qualified for the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. To address this public health concern, the state maintains a stock of post-exposure prophylactic globulin, a treatment designed to prevent infection following exposure to measles. However, this crucial treatment must be administered within six days to be effective. "We had until Sunday to get all those individuals and get them the treatment," Mathis explained. "We definitely had to figure things out on the fly."
By 10 p.m. on Friday, all families of the exposed infants had been notified of the situation. In collaboration with Intermountain Health and the state health department, the Bear River health officials organized a clinic on Saturday, where nine families accepted the treatment. The remaining two infants were referred to an emergency room for IV administration of the treatment due to their size. “I view it as a great flow of communication and collaboration in order to help hopefully reduce the spread of the disease in our community,” Mathis commented.
As of Tuesday, Bear River spokesperson Estee Hunt reported that none of the infants had shown any measles symptoms. According to Utah health officials, if an individual is infected, symptoms generally manifest within seven to 14 days. It's important to note that while the infants received post-exposure treatment, the MMR vaccine remains a safe and effective preventive measure for those eligible to receive it. However, certain groups, such as pregnant individuals, are not eligible for the vaccine.
Utah has recorded a total of 41 officially confirmed measles cases this year, four of which were identified within the Bear River district. While the infants were given post-exposure treatment, Mathis emphasized the importance of the MMR vaccine as a preventative measure. The vaccine is noted to be 97% effective for individuals who receive two doses. Utah health officials recommend that children receive their first dose of the vaccine on or after their first birthday, followed by a second dose when they are between 4 to 6 years old. Furthermore, the 11 infants who received post-exposure treatment will be placed on a delayed schedule for their MMR vaccinations.
Dr. Leisha Nolen, an epidemiologist in Utah, highlighted a critical point regarding the limited supply of post-exposure treatment available for young infants. She cautioned that in the event of a mass exposure scenario, the state may not have sufficient resources to effectively manage the situation. This emphasizes the necessity for ongoing public awareness and vaccination efforts to prevent measles outbreaks in the future.
