MEASLES (a) Infective Agent.—Is unknown, but is known to be a filterable virus.
(b) Source of Infection.—Cases in the active and prodromal stages. • (c) Exit of Infective Agent.—In the buccal and nasal secre tions.
(d) Route of Transmission.—By direct or indirect contact.
(e) Incubation Period. Seven to eighteen days; practically always fourteen days.
(f) Period of Communicability.—During the period of catarr hal symptoms and until the cessation of abnormal mucous membrane secretions; which is from 2 days before, to 5 days after the appearance of the rash; a minimum period of seven days.
(g) Entrance of Infective Agent into the Body.—Probably by the mouth and nose.
(Ii) Methods of Control.—The Infected Individual.-1. Di agnosis: By the clinical manifestations. In exposed individuals pay especial attention to the rise in temperature, Koplik spots on the buccal.mucosa and catarrhal symptoms.
2. Isolation: During the period of communicability.
3. Artificial immunization: None.
4. Quarantine: Exclude exposed susceptible school children and teachers from school for a period of one week dating from the last known exposure. This also applies to all public
gatherings.
5. Concurrent disinfection: Of all articles soiled with the secretions of the nose and throat. .
6. Terminal disinfection: Thorough cleaning.
General Measures.—i. Daily examination of exposed children during the incubation period, and of other persons presumably exposed. This examination should include a record of the body temperature. A non-immune exposed individual exhibiting a rise of temperature of 0.5 degree or more should be promptly isolated pending diagnosis.
2. Schools should not be closed or classes discontinued where daily observation of the children by a physician or nurse is possible.
3. Education of parents and others of the great danger from exposing young children to those exhibiting acute catarrhal symptoms of any kind.