The Investigation of a Measles Outbreak,Kaohsiung, 2008

Yu-Ting Hou

2009 Vol.25 NO.4

Correspondence Author： Yu-Ting Hou

Abstract：

Measles is an acute and highly contagious viral disease. Until recently, it has been controlled, with less than 10 reported cases per year in Taiwan. At the end of December 2008, two suspected measles cases were reported from a hospital in Kaohsiung. A retrospective survey of these two cases was conducted. It found four waves of epidemics involving eight confirmed cases, including two nosocomial infections affecting four and two people respectively, as well as one community outbreak, in which one patient was infected. The survey tracked down the source of the pathogen and found the index case was imported from Shandong province of China. Subsequent outbreaks showed the increased risks of communicable disease outbreaks due to more frequent and convenient domestic and international travels and a much shorter travelling time. How to improve the awareness and knowledge of the general public about measles and to reduce the vulnerable groups should become the focus of intervention .Moreover, hospitals should alert their doctors to the risk of this disease and ensure the procedures of infection prevention in order to control and prevent further measles outbreaks.