Measles exposure in Philadelphia and Lancaster counties

The Pennsylvania Department of Health and the Philadelphia Department of Public Health are advising the public of exposure to a case of measles in Lancaster and Philadelphia counties.

An international traveler visiting Pennsylvania has been diagnosed as having measles. He may have exposed other people to the disease while contagious at the following dates, times and locations:

Philadelphia County

• Aug. 14, 4:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., Greyhound Bus Lines station, 1001 Filbert St.
• Aug. 14, 5 p.m. to Aug. 17, 5:30 p.m., Philadelphia-Historic District Holiday Inn, 400 Arch St.
• Aug. 15, 11 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., Ride the Ducks Duck Boat Tour (Zone 1), beginning at 6th and Chestnut Sts.
• Aug. 16, 10:30 a.m. – 2 p.m., 30th St. Station, 2955 Market St.
  • The individual departed on the Amtrak Keystone Line Train #643 to Lancaster, Pa.
• Aug. 17, 1:30– 5 p.m., 30th St. Station, 2955 Market St.
  • The individual departed on the Amtrak Northeast Regional Train #171 to Manassas, Va.

Lancaster County

• Aug. 16, 12:06 – 3:30 p.m., Lancaster Amtrak stop, 53 McGovern Ave., Lancaster, Pa.
  • The individual arrived via the Amtrak Keystone Line Train #643 from Philadelphia, Pa. This train also continued from Lancaster and arrived in Harrisburg, Pa. at 12:40 p.m.; persons riding between Lancaster and Harrisburg might also have been exposed to measles virus remaining in the air inside the train.
• Aug. 16, 2:30 – 7 p.m. at the following locations:
  • Amish Experience at Plain and Fancy Farm, 3121 Old Philadelphia Pike, Bird-in-Hand, Pa.
  • Glick's Roadside Stand, 248A Monterey Road, Bird-in-Hand, Pa.
  • Riehl's Farm/Quilt Shop, 247 E. Eby Road, Leola, Pa.
• The individual reported riding in a taxi (company unknown) from Lancaster, Pa., arriving in Philadelphia, Pa. before 6 p.m.

Based on the dates of exposure in Pennsylvania, it is possible that symptoms could develop as late as Sept. 7 if individuals were infected during the timeframes mentioned above.

Measles is caused by a highly contagious virus. Symptoms begin one to two weeks after exposure and include a runny nose, watery eyes, cough and a high fever. After four days, a raised, red rash starts to spread on the face, down the body and out to the arms and legs. The rash usually lasts four to seven days.  

An individual with measles can spread the virus to others for four days before and four days after the rash begins. It is spread during sneezing or coughing, by touching contaminated objects and by direct contact with infected nasal or throat secretions. Infected droplets and secretions can remain contagious on surfaces for up to two hours.

Complications from measles can include ear infection, diarrhea and pneumonia, encephalitis (an inflammation of the brain) and even death. Measles can also cause miscarriages or premature delivery in pregnant women.

Most people in the United States are immune to measles, either because they received the Measles Mumps Rubella (known as the MMR) vaccine in childhood, or because they were exposed to measles in the pre-vaccine era.

The MMR vaccine is given to toddlers when they are 12 to 15 months of age, and a second dose is required for all Pennsylvania school children. However, individuals who have received only one dose of the vaccine, instead of the recommended two doses, may still be at risk of infection with this virus.

The following groups of individuals are at risk of becoming infected with measles:

• Infants less than one year of age, because they are too young to receive the MMR vaccine;
• Persons who were vaccinated with an inactivated vaccine, which was used from 1963 through 1967, and have never been revaccinated;
• Persons born after 1957 who have only received one dose of MMR vaccine;
• Those who refused vaccination; and
• Those from parts of the world where there is low vaccination coverage or low circulating measles.