Photo By Rodney Jackson | Klarissa Parsons, registered nurse, CRDAMC pediatrics, administers the MMR (measles,...... read more read more
FORT CAVAZOS, Texas – The Texas Department of State and Health Services reports 259 measles cases identified since late January, as of March 14. Thirty-four of the patients have been hospitalized and the Centers for Disease and Control has reported cases in many other States.
The Army Public Health Nursing team of the Fort Cavazos Department of Public Health and Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center is working hard to raise awareness to support the prevention and spread of diseases like measles and provide the Central Texas community with critical information for protection.
“We want the community to know that measles is extremely contagious,” said Yesenia Montoya, communicable disease lead and registered nurse, Army Public Health, CRDAMC. “One positive measles case can potentially infect nine other people, especially newborns, infants, immunocompromised, unvaccinated, and those who are more susceptible to picking up infections. We’re trying to develop a process to keep everybody safe and limit exposure to our population here.”
Measles spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The virus is highly contagious and can lead to serious complications, especially for babies and young children. Severe complications are pneumonia, brain swelling, and death.
“We do communicable disease surveillance for the hospital and one of our functions is running reports that show what conditions come up and what diagnoses the doctors are using when they care for patients,” said Montoya. “There are certain diseases that need to be reported to the State and the Army. If we see that a certain disease has an unusual number of cases, that would alert us to investigate further.”
We reach out to the public when it comes to these diseases and give guidance to our staff on how to care for patients that may present with concerns, she added.
According to the Texas Department of State and Health Services, the best way to prevent getting sick is to be immunized with two doses of a vaccine against measles, which is primarily administered as the combination measles-mumps-rubella vaccine.
CRDAMC offers the vaccine in its pediatric and family medicine clinics. Patients receive two doses of MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine at 12 months and four years of age. For exposure or vaccine related questions, patients should contact their assigned clinic or primary care manager.
“Routine immunizations have been used for many years and have drastically reduced severe diseases that cause long-term complications, hospitalizations, or death that are now, mostly preventable,” said Maj. Colby Pearson, CRDAMC pediatrics clinic officer-in-charge. “They are safe, effective, and well-studied. Over time they have been made safer. There are possible side effects as with any medication, with common ones being fever, pain, and local swelling or redness, but severe adverse events are very rare and usually more manageable than the complications caused by the diseases they are meant to protect.”
Immunizations help create immunity in those receiving them. It gives your immune system the ability to quickly and effectively target and eliminate these diseases if exposed to them before it progresses to disease in the individual, he added.
For more information on vaccination and keeping your child healthy, visit: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/immunizations/Pages/Vaccine-Studies-Examine-the-Evidence.aspx or
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/immunizations/Pages/Vaccine-Safety-The-Facts.aspx.
Keeping daughter Autumn up to date on vaccines is a priority for Spc. Tyrece Campbell, chemical specialist, 181st Chemical Company, 2nd Chemical Battalion, 48th Chemical Brigade.
“This is the right place and the right time for her to receive the vaccine,” said Campbell.
“Vaccinations must happen for our population to stay healthy, said Klarissa Parsons, registered nurse, CRDAMC pediatrics. “All of these kiddos go into the public and the public schools, so we have to be aware and prevent things that are 100% preventable, and that’s what the vaccines do.”
After giving the vaccines many times daily and most with children crying when they receive it, Parson copes with it by reminding herself that it’s essential. “I know that it’s necessary, so as long as I always go in the room with those pure intentions every time, I know that what I’m doing is helping,” she added.
Signs and symptoms that a person has the virus are cough, runny nose, fever, watery eyes and begin one to two weeks after someone is exposed. Two to three days after symptoms begin, tiny white spots (Koplik’s spots) may appear inside the mouth. A rash that starts at the hairline/scalp and progresses down the body will usually begin three to five days after the other symptoms.
For more information about measles, visit: Texas Department of State Health Services and the CDC website at https://www.cdc.gov/measles.
With measles cases on the rise, this is a perfect time to ensure you, and your family are protected against this contagious disease.
If you have measles or suspect you have been exposed to measles, immediately call your healthcare provider and let them know you have been exposed to someone who has measles.
To reduce the spread of the virus please share this information with your health care team when making any appointments. To reduce the chance of spreading measles to others, wear a mask before entering the health care facility.
If you would like to ensure you and your loved ones are up to date on your vaccines, please contact your health care provider by phone, the patient portal at patientportal.mhsgenesis.health.mil , or by calling patient appointment service at 254-288-8888.
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| Date Taken: | 03.14.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.14.2025 15:21 |
| Story ID: | 492936 |
| Location: | FORT CAVAZOS, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 23 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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