To view provisional data for vaccine-preventable diseases in California with disease onset during calendar year 2008, please visit the Immunization Branch website. For detailed surveillance data by jurisdiction, contact Jessica.Chang@cdph.ca.gov.

Recent Measles in California

In December 2008, Santa Clara County reported measles in an unimmunized nine month-old adoptee from Vietnam who became ill shortly after arriving in the U.S. She is the 15th known measles case in California during 2008.

The infant was not diagnosed with measles or appropriately isolated until the fourth medical visit for her illness.  Before isolation, she exposed contacts at her older sibling’s school, a restaurant, a post office, a clinic, an urgent care clinic and an emergency department.  She was infectious during the two flights between Vietnam and the U.S., which occurred within four days of rash onset. 

Almost 300 contacts were exposed.  Of these, 22 required active surveillance because they had received only one dose of vaccine; 12 were found to be susceptible and were placed on quarantine. Due to the quick response and diligence of the Santa Clara County Public Health Department, no secondary cases have been detected.

The infant had been eligible for vaccination, as the Vietnamese government recommends vaccination against measles beginning at age 9 months, compared to 12 months in the U. S.  Per federal requirements, all immigrants must show proof of receipt for all recommended vaccines.   Even so, parents adopting internationally may opt to delay vaccinations until after they return to the U.S. 

The first three measles cases reported in 2009 occurred in a San Francisco family who had recently visited a sick relative in England. The father, whose immunization history is unclear, was first to become ill. His two children are unimmunized because of their parents’ beliefs. Both children received immune globulin 7 days after their first exposure to their father when he was infectious. They both developed mild, laboratory-confirmed measles. The father exposed over 100 clients and staff during an appointment with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.  As Update goes to press, surveillance is ongoing.