Case Study Short Answer Assignment # 4 Due Tuesday, August

25th

Case Study: Vaccine-preventable disease and community interaction in a San Diego

County measles outbreak

Name: Julie Pham Student ID: 84032587

Answer the following questions in the space provided.

1. Where and when was the index case (first case) exposed to measles?
In January 2008, the first index case was an unvaccinated 7-year old boy identified
in San Diego, California who recently at that time visited Switzerland with his family.

2. There were 11 cases of measles that were counted in this outbreak. What did all
but one of these cases have in common?

One of the children traveled to Hawaii while infectious.

3. Schools require proof of vaccination against measles and other diseases for their
students. How were 36 students at this index case’s school allowed to enter school
without vaccination?
California allowed personal belief exemptions to children who their parents would
ask for exemptions to the vaccination if they had beliefs that causes them to
disapprove of having their children vaccinated. Approximately 9..6% of the children
at the school the index patient attended were filed under personal belief
exemptions.

4. What role did the answer for Question #2 play in the spread of measles from one
child to 11 total cases?
The spread of measles was caused by close contact in person by the index patient
with the other 11 children. He had close contact with the others through school and
the pediatrician’s office. Then the measles outbreak spread further by those 11
children getting in close contact with others around them that have not been
vaccinated, increasing the presence of measles.