Measles and Ebola

Just some thoughts now that we have an outbreak of a real airborne disease as opposed to Ebola.

More than 100 measles cases now confirmed in the US.

Remember how everyone was scared that Ebola was airborne? Some people kept assuring you that Ebola was not airborne. Not truly.

This is a truly airborne virus. Look at how fast it has spread. Cases started from Disneyland in late December, and in only one month they span 13 states, Mexico and comprise a little over 100 confirmed cases. Compare that to Ebola. It took it the better part of a year to get to the US, and it only managed to spread to a handful when it got here.

Now don't get me wrong. Both diseases are probably equally virulent if you happen to get exposed to them meaning that if you get exposed you are likely to come down with them, but it's getting exposed to Ebola that's the trick. To get exposed to the measles, you just have to pass by someone who might happen to cough or sneeze into the air you breath like you would with any common cold. To get Ebola, you have to have contact with bodily fluids which is much harder to achieve.

This brings us back to quarantine.

In the case of a disease like Ebola, quarantine would be much more effective. You can't get people sick without coming into contact with them, so keeping yourself out of contact with people would work quite well. In the case of measles, quarantine could still work but less effectively as the disease spreads so fast it can leap our ability to identify who does and doesn't need to be in quarantine.

Either way, you can see with this outbreak how scary something like a deadly flu would be if it actually got a foothold here. Keep in mind that this measles bug is spreading against the headwinds of a population that still has a relatively high incidence of herd immunity conferred by vaccines. Just something to keep in mind and scare yourself with.

a reply to: ketsuko

in 1960 there were an estimated 3.5 million cases of measles in the US.

a reply to: InverseLookingGlass

I was one of those 3.5 million cases. That's the same year I came down with measles, I was only 3.

My mom has no idea how I got it. I wasn't in daycare/school. Someone passed it on to me without being visibly sick. Not sick enough for my mom to notice anyway.

She said the fever was the worst of it. I was out of my head/hallucinating. No vaccine at that time, I don't think it was available until 1962.

My mom didn't know what I had until my fever started coming down and the rash popped out. Afterwards I had chronic ear infections/some hearing loss and later in my teens I developed petit mal epilepsy. My mom felt certain the raging fever during measles was the cause. I don't think the doc disagreed but he didn't say for sure.

I still have vague, scary memories of it. My hearing loss isn't too bad. I hear most voices just fine but I've no clue what mumbling men/soft speakers are saying.

The difference between Ebola/measles imo is with Ebola you most likely have some clue you've been exposed. You probably know who gave it to you or it could be more easily traced. I would imagine someone with Ebola would be easier to recognize/stay away from. Seems people don't have to be on deaths door to spread measles. I got it from just being out/about with my mom.

While I agree that a truly Airborne Infectious or Virulent Disease, is much easier to contract while in contact with the general public. I do feel there is one factor you are overlooking here.

Think about Ebola, in it's infectious stage at Disneyland of all places. The potential for contraction goes way up, when many people are in a confined area. Then if we account that the public are there most commonly while vacationing, we will see a more rapid spread to other areas as they take the infection home with them. If someone in a ticketbooth, or food stand, is in direct contact with that many people, even giving them change or whatever to put in their pocket to carry around with them and then again exchange to others, while infected with Ebola could be a very unfortunate series of events...

I know when I take my next trip to SixFlags (Texas) and see a vendor, wipe the sweat from their brow, I am pretty sure I will percieve it in Slo Mo, and my heart will start to race... I will be using "Keep the change" a little more freely too.

Panic is silly, and not an option when dealing with disease, caution on the other hand is paramount.

a reply to: ketsuko

There was also a very huge difference in how the media handled the two.

Many people did not breathe for weeks during the media hype.

I think these events are steered for reasons.

The point of this thread isn't about public perception or media handling or anything else.

It is simply to compare the realities of the spread of the two on the ground. In both cases, we had an actively infectious person who had opportunity to start an outbreak. In the case of Ebola, it managed to jump to two other people in a population that has no vaccination program available. In the case of measles, it has spread to 100 confirmed cases across 13 states and into Mexico even with a still widely used vaccination program. That is the truly scary thing about an airborne, person-to-person infectious disease.

a reply to: ketsuko

It's a small world after all.

Perception and reaction is everything. The difference imo is how this is being handled vs how ebola was handled. The claim of ebola not being as spreadable if false imo. When they quarrentine a whole family and all contacts for every case of measles then it will be comparable. They are using this to send a message and enforce stricter vaccine measures.

originally posted by: ketsuko
Just some thoughts now that we have an outbreak of a real airborne disease as opposed to Ebola.

More than 100 measles cases now confirmed in the US.

Remember how everyone was scared that Ebola was airborne? Some people kept assuring you that Ebola was not airborne. Not truly.

This is a truly airborne virus. Look at how fast it has spread. Cases started from Disneyland in late December, and in only one month they span 13 states, Mexico and comprise a little over 100 confirmed cases. Compare that to Ebola. It took it the better part of a year to get to the US, and it only managed to spread to a handful when it got here.

Now don't get me wrong. Both diseases are probably equally virulent if you happen to get exposed to them meaning that if you get exposed you are likely to come down with them, but it's getting exposed to Ebola that's the trick. To get exposed to the measles, you just have to pass by someone who might happen to cough or sneeze into the air you breath like you would with any common cold. To get Ebola, you have to have contact with bodily fluids which is much harder to achieve.

This brings us back to quarantine.

In the case of a disease like Ebola, quarantine would be much more effective. You can't get people sick without coming into contact with them, so keeping yourself out of contact with people would work quite well. In the case of measles, quarantine could still work but less effectively as the disease spreads so fast it can leap our ability to identify who does and doesn't need to be in quarantine.

Either way, you can see with this outbreak how scary something like a deadly flu would be if it actually got a foothold here. Keep in mind that this measles bug is spreading against the headwinds of a population that still has a relatively high incidence of herd immunity conferred by vaccines. Just something to keep in mind and scare yourself with.

Measles in Arizona


My favorite part of the story....

"The general public is not advised to wear masks or avoid public transportation," England said.

Now mind you, they just had a confirmed case of the measles on an Amtrack train in NY, which I'm sure just made a TON of people happy. Me? I would have LOVED a face mask if I were on THAT train. LOL

College Student boarded Amtram at Penn Station

The student at Bard College in Dutchess County took Amtrak train #283 from Penn Station to Albany, according to state health officials. He got off in Rhinecliff, N.Y.

At Bard College, the Dutchess County Department of Health held a measles vaccination clinic for any students, faculty, or staff who have not been vaccinated against measles. New York has had three cases of measles this year, the department said, one in Dutchess County and two in New York City.

New York requires that all college students show proof of immunity to measles. At Bard College, medical forms show that a student's immunity to the disease must be documented, but they don't state whether exemptions are allowed.

I wonder if he either had been vaccinated before, or could not be vaccinated or had an exeption, therefore got the measles.

Something I didn't know from the story....

Measles is one of the most contagious viruses in existence and will infect an estimated 90 percent of people who not immune to the virus.

I always thought the common cold was the most contagious virus. Learn something new every day.

***Forgot to mention, in Arizona alone, just from one doctor's office, one patient visiting Disneyland and returning to said doctor's office has exposed up to 1000 people to the measles. They are all now awaiting to see if they will come down with it. This of course includes staff. Most especially of course the babies too young to be immunized.

Up to 1k possibly exposed

Something else to note on communicability is the measles is contagious before symptoms show while Ebola isn't contagious until after symptoms show. So with measles you just have no warning to keep away. a reply to: ketsuko

a reply to: wastedown

Someone sick with Ebola isn't reporting for work in the ticket booth or visiting Disneyland. Ebola is only contagious after symptoms begin and symptoms are severe at that point so no. There wouldn't be a case of this happening.

a reply to: ketsuko

A good example of how risk perception and actual risk can be miles apart.
Here is a good article written back in october on this very issue
theconversation.com...

Its crazy how there is almost an inverse relationship between risk and fear, it was like a collective international media induced panic attack with ebola yet every sensible public health person was saying calm the hell down the risk is tiny and yet when we try and get people to vaccinate themselves or children they completely misjudge the risk - i guess at least its consistent in that even though its our job and we deal with infectious diseases daily we are consistently ignored

here is another related article on the moron Chris Christie, i dont really follow american politics (because we have enough lunatics here is Aus) but based on everything i have heard i seriously hope he isnt actually a presidential candidate

"So, faced with Ebola, Christie said the public health comes first and locked up someone who posed no threat. Now, faced with the measles, Christie says he cares about individual rights – the public health, not so much."
www.forbes.com...