A case of measles has been confirmed in the last few hours, involving a child residing in Entre Ríos. The Ministry of Health has issued an alert to inform about the epidemiological situation and urge health teams to strengthen surveillance of this disease.
According to a report accessed by the Argentine News Agency, the health authority also indicated that specialists must "verify and complete vaccination schedules and raise public awareness about the importance of early consultation when fever and rash appear".
Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that can affect people of all ages. The most frequent clinical manifestations are: high fever, red spots on the skin, runny nose, conjunctivitis, and cough. It can also present severely, especially in children under 5 years of age and malnourished individuals, with respiratory complications such as pneumonia and central nervous system complications such as seizures, meningitis, blindness, post-infectious encephalomyelitis with severe mental retardation, and late-onset degenerative disorders that are untreatable, or even cause death.
The Ministry of Health reported that measles is transmitted through droplets released into the air from the nose, mouth, or throat of an infected person. The virus can also persist in the air or on surfaces, remaining active and contagious for up to 2 hours. There is no specific antiviral treatment for the measles virus, but it can be prevented through vaccination.
The Current Situation Last Friday, through the National Health Surveillance System, a suspected case of measles was confirmed in a 2-year and 4-month-old child residing in the city of Santa Elena, La Paz department, Entre Ríos province. The onset of symptoms was recorded on November 24, with a fever of 38°C, generalized rash, and upper respiratory symptoms. The first medical consultation took place on November 26 at a local pediatric facility without the need for hospitalization, where initial samples were taken for diagnosis.
Subsequently, IgM studies were conducted in the province, which yielded indeterminate results, leading to referral to the National Reference Laboratory, where the virus was detected by rt-PCR from the nasopharyngeal sample, and molecular studies continued for viral genotype identification.
The child has one documented dose of the MMR vaccine from November 2024, has no comorbidities or additional risk factors, and is clinically stable. He is under home isolation along with his household.
Within the framework of the epidemiological investigation, a history of travel to the locality of Casilda, Santa Fe province, was identified between November 14 and 15. Close contacts were also identified during the transmissibility period, with verification of vaccination schedules in progress.
All contacts are under active follow-up, with recommendations for symptom monitoring and isolation based on exposure. Meanwhile, local and provincial teams, along with the Directorate of Control of Immunopreventable Diseases and the Directorate of Epidemiology, continue with the epidemiological investigation, outbreak containment, active contact tracing, and reinforcement of prevention and control measures in the affected areas.
