Dear Reader,

Although your concern about measles in understandable, first, take a deep breath. So far, no one has actually been diagnosed. The most likely way to get measles is from an infected person. If your friend and her/his roommate do not have measles, you're off the hook. In case they're infected with measles, here's the scoop:

• Measles is caused by a virus (German Measles, a.k.a. rubella, is a different viral infection).
• High fever, rash, runny nose, watery eyes, and coughing are some of the symptoms of measles.
• People can get measles at any age, particularly when very young or over 20 years of age.

Measles is spread readily from person-to-person, however it's rare to get it from contact with contaminated items or surfaces, or from uninfected folks who've been exposed to the virus. Measles is transmitted through airborne droplets that people who are infected spread when they sneeze, cough, or talk. Because of this, measles is highly contagious and occasionally it can be quite serious. Even if your friend's roommate does have measles, if you grew up or attended school in the United States, it's likely that you've been vaccinated against and have immunity to the illness. Being vaccinated doesn't guarantee that you'll have immunity; however it's a great dose of prevention to have working in your favor.

Fortunately, with the advent of an effective vaccine, the number of cases in the United States has dropped dramatically. Most people who come down with measles will develop lifelong immunity against a subsequent cases. The same is true of German measles. However, being vaccinated (or infected) with one type of measles will not prevent you from getting the other type. If you're not sure if you have been vaccinated or had measles (or even which type you had), your health care practitioner can tell from a blood test if you need to be vaccinated.

For now, you may consider maintaining healthy habits like eating a balanced diet, resting enough, and exercising moderately; all of these actions can be an overall boost to your immune system. If your friend or her/his roommate is diagnosed with measles, you may want to keep watch for the symptoms listed above. Anytime you feel sick, especially when your symptoms include a high fever or rash, it's a good idea to visit a health care provider. Students at Columbia can make an appointment by calling x4-2284 or logging into Open Communicator, or by going straight to urgent care.

Here's hoping that the roommate in question just has a cold, and that you'll avoid any illness at all. Take care,

Alice

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