This letter is to notify you that measles has been diagnosed in five attendees of the HELI-EXPO 2011 tradeshow in Orlando, Florida, in early March. All five of the attendees became ill after they had left Orlando, and while it's impossible at this point to say exactly where these people were exposed to measles, the timing of their illnesses suggests that they were exposed at the expo or during their stay in Orlando. It is likely that a person(s) with unrecognized measles at the expo, who was visiting or residing in Orlando, was the source of these measles infections.
Measles is a respiratory disease caused by a virus. It is transmitted person to person through the air by infectious respiratory droplets or by direct contact with secretions from the nose or mouth. Measles is one of the most contagious infectious diseases. The symptoms of measles include:
· Blotchy rash (3-5 days after symptom onset)
· Fever
· Cough
· Runny nose
· Red, watery eyes (conjunctivitis)
· Feeling run down, achy (malaise)
The illness usually begins 7-14 days after exposure, so anyone who was susceptible to measles and exposed to measles in or around the expo would have become ill by now. Because measles is highly contagious and easily spread to others, it's important, if you've had an illness since the expo that may be consistent with measles, to contact your physician and ask that he or she inform the public health authorities in your area, so that they may ensure that others around you have been appropriately vaccinated.
U.S. residents who have questions about this notification may contact the Orange County Health Department at (407) 858-1400. For residents outside of the U.S. who have questions about this notification, you may contact the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at (800) CDC-INFO (800-232-4636).
We would like to thank the Helicopter Association International for cooperation and assistance in sending out this information to HELI-EXPO 2011 participants. For more information about measles, please visit the CDC’s website: www.cdc.gov/measles/index.html
