Isolation Period for Adults with Measles

Infectious Period and Transmission

Infected individuals are contagious from 4 days before rash onset through 4 days after rash onset, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 1, 2

Adults with measles should be isolated until at least 4 days after the onset of rash to prevent transmission to susceptible individuals, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 1, 2, 3
During healthcare visits, patients should wear a medical mask immediately, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2
Patients should be placed in an airborne-infection isolation room (negative air-pressure) when available, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 3
If no isolation room is available, patients should be placed in a private room with door closed, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2

Healthcare workers who develop measles should be excluded from work until ≥4 days following rash onset, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 3, 4
Healthcare workers without evidence of immunity who are exposed to measles should be offered MMR vaccine and excluded from work from day 5-21 following exposure, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 5

During outbreaks in educational settings, susceptible individuals who are exempt from vaccination should be excluded until 21 days after the onset of rash in the last case, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 6
For healthcare facility outbreaks, exposed susceptible workers should be excluded from the 12th day after first exposure through the 26th day after last exposure, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 7
If immune globulin is administered to an exposed person, observation should continue for 28 days, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 4, 8

Airborne precautions should be implemented immediately when measles is suspected, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 3
Only staff with presumptive evidence of immunity should enter the room of a person with suspected or confirmed measles, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2
All staff entering the room should use respiratory protection (N95 respirator or equivalent) regardless of immunity status, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 3
Post-exposure prophylaxis with MMR vaccine (within 72 hours) or immune globulin (within 6 days) should be considered for susceptible contacts, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 9

Inadequate isolation measures during the 4 days before rash onset when patients are already contagious but not yet diagnosed, as warned by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 1, 2
Not maintaining isolation for the full 4 days after rash onset, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 3
Allowing healthcare workers without proper immunity to care for patients with measles, as warned by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 5
Not implementing proper airborne precautions (regular surgical masks are insufficient), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 3