Measles Case Spurs Wwu Vaccinations

Immunization clinics were set up across the Western Washington University campus Thursday after a first-year student was diagnosed with measles.

All students, faculty and staff who were born after 1956 must be immunized if they haven’t had two shots of measles vaccine. Students may have to provide proof of immunization before they return to class after the Presidents’ Day holiday weekend, university officials said.

Measles are highly contagious, especially in a campus setting where students and others have close contact, health officials said. A person with measles, also called rubeola or hard measles, is contagious up to a week before and after the appearance of the measles rash.

“A person can be exposed by simply breathing the air within a twohour period in a room where the infected person has been,” said Dr. Emily Gibson, Western’s associate director for medical services.

The student with measles was “very ill, but was never hospitalized and is recovering at home with no complications,” said Janet Davis, a Whatcom County health nurse.

Possible complications from measles include ear infections, pneumonia and encephalitis, a brain infection. Permanent hearing loss and brain damage also can result; about one in 1,000 cases results in death.

Symptoms include a cough, runny nose, sensitive and watery red eyes, fever and a rash that lasts longer than three days.

People born before 1957 are generally considered immune, Davis said.