John Goldman had not seen a case of measles in 30 years. But since April, the infectious disease specialist with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in central Pennsylvania has had dozens of patients come down with the disease.
\n\n“I never thought I would see this come back,” he says.
\n\nHis health system, like others, has had to adapt to a new normal as measles makes a comeback in the United States. As the country’s cases top 3,600, the highest yearly total since 1991, hospitals and health care providers are being forced to dust off decades-old protocols or develop new ones to deal with the highly contagious disease.
\n\nThe University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s community hospital in Lititz is in Lancaster County, the center of Pennsylvania’s current outbreak. It has evaluated around 50 patients with measles, with roughly 20 of those requiring hospitalization. Statewide, Pennsylvania has recorded 943 cases, including 176 hospitalizations and five measles-related deaths as of September 30.
\n\nGoldman says the Lititz hospital has rapidly ramped up measles screening, asking patients if they are experiencing symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, red eyes, and whether they are vaccinated. The classic measles rash does not appear until three…
Original source: https://www.wired.com/