Super Bowl Measles: Attendees Exposed To Virus By Contagious Fan (VIDEO)

The Indiana State Department of Health has identified two possible cases of measles outside Indianapolis in addition to two cases that have already been confirmed, including one in a fan who visited Super Bowl Village on Friday, WISH-TV Indianapolis reports.

Officials have said they aren't concerned about an outbreak, though they have notified the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and are working with health departments in New York and Massachusetts to identify other cases and prevent the disease from spreading, according to the Associated Press.

State health officials declined to identify the infected patient but told the AP he contracted the disease from an undiagnosed sibling prior to visiting downtown Indianapolis on Friday. The patient later learned about the infection after going to a doctor that night after feeling ill.

According to a health department press release, more than 200,000 people visited downtown Indianapolis on Friday to participate in Super Bowl festivities, which is why doctors are advising attendees to watch for possible symptoms.

Measles symptoms -- which may not occur until a week after infection -- include fever, rash, muscle pain, pink eye and a sore throat, according to the Indiana State Department of Health.

"It takes about a week after being exposed and if they're susceptible to getting the measles, they may start off with an upper respiratory infection but later feel more ill with a high temperatures," State Health Commissioner Dr. Gregory Larkin told Fox 59 News. "That isn't common with other things so it's important to know about the high temperatures, as high as 105 degrees."

Larkin added that it's reassuring to know that many people have received measles vaccines. In fact, the CDC declared measles "eliminated" in 2000 due to the scarcity of cases.

However, an increasing number of parents in recent years have opted not to have their children vaccinated due to fear the medicine could cause autism, according to ABC News.

In the first six months of 2011, the CDC confirmed 156 measles cases -- the highest number of cases since 1996 -- the majority of which occurred in people who had traveled abroad.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this article indicated the infected patient was a male. The Indiana State Department of Health has not made public the identity or sex of the patient.

WATCH:

Comments

[Amanda Wrigg]

09:18 AM on 02/13/2012

Measles signs and symptoms: http://www.cdc.gov/measles/about/signs-symptoms.html
Scarlet fever signs and symptoms: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/scarletfever_g.htm#symptoms

Both diseases have nearly identical symptoms with the only difference being the appearance of the rash. Both diseases killed around 14 to 15 people per 100,000 at their peaks. Yet in the 1960's (less than 1 death per 100,000) the government started widespread Measles vaccines. Measles became known by many to be a horrible disease that was nearly unrecoverable and could be easily spread from person to person. Scarlet fever became known as a mild disease in which you had to be sure to practice good hygiene, take antibiotics, and rest while consuming lots of fluids.

Both still infect people today, both (rarely) cause deaths today. If we're all so afraid of a disease (with today's health care system) that causes rash and fever then maybe we shouldn't be vaccinated for it. According to the CDC about 1 in 20 people develop high rash and fever after being vaccinated for the Measles.

Just something to consider.

[holyghostie]

10:43 PM on 02/11/2012

How bout the clap?

[carolinacookie4]

06:48 PM on 02/11/2012

Obviously no one else is have a problem replying to comments. When I try to reply it says it's down for maintenance. This has been driving me nuts for days.

[mossypond]

06:56 PM on 02/11/2012

The first person who can figure out what causes all the glitches in computers and the internet, and solve them, will become richer than Bill Gates.

[VietnamTET]

06:20 PM on 02/11/2012

One main problem that you are going to see but is never talked about is the illegal immigrant population. With statistics set at 12 million illegals alone in this country (and that is about 10% of the entire Mexican population of 120 million citizens) you know that they aren't vaccinated for the most part because 1) they are afraid that they will be arrested and deported, 2) They don't realize how dangerous childhood diseases like chicken pox and measles can be, and 3) They don't realize that this disease (or other diseases) feed off poverty living conditions. Only until we can close the borders and have legal immigration where this sort of thing is identified by each person coming into the country can it be eradicated from the U.S. and only then can we attend a large football game like the Super Bowl and not worry about catching a disease like this.

[Saravi]

10:22 PM on 02/11/2012

That's an "interesting" theory - one with a lot of evidence against it.

Between January and May 2011, there were 118 cases of measles reported in the US. This was the highest incidence of measles seen in a 5 month period in the US since 1996.

13 of those cases could not be traced back to an imported (foreign country) source. 46 of the 105 remaining infections were in US residents who had recently travelled outside the US and the remaining 59 infections were in people who came in contact with those travellers after they returned home.

In other words, 46 US citizens/legal residents travelled legally outside of the US and then returned infected with measles. 59 other people who had not left the country contracted measles as a result, and the kicker is that most of these people were probably vaccinated as children. Vaccination doesn't guarantee immunity, but being such an expert on the subject, I'm sure you knew that already.

[ppb55]

06:14 PM on 02/11/2012

The Measles Bowl 2012 . Enjoy your measles sports fans . HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA .

[jedwightn]

05:53 PM on 02/11/2012

Parents playing Russian roulette with their children's health but not getting them vaccinated be warned.

[misstawnie]

08:33 PM on 02/12/2012

Have you ever read anything about vaccines, other than the biased reports from the CDC?

[TheNarrowRoad]

05:21 PM on 02/11/2012

Please don't tell me some idiot is going to try to sue and get rich off this.

[luvgolfn]

05:04 PM on 02/11/2012

Once again the good ole Huffington post grabs an unrealistic headline to put panic in society. First and foremost most of us are vaccinated by this childhood disease. Unless you didn't get vaccinated with your childhood immunizations for what ever reason you can't complain if you get chicken pox or Measles this was YOUR choice.

[FrankBVT]

04:09 PM on 02/11/2012

I love how people want to blame the lack of vaccinations on them there "furiners," but the truth is, there are just as many natural born Americans who believed that wacco Jenny McCarthy and didn't get vaccinations as there are foreigners who don't have them. Leave it to the uninformed and uneducated to get their medical advice from someone who became famous as a Playboy bunny! Gee, she was a bunny, so I guess that means she knows all about vaccinations!

[misstawnie]

08:29 PM on 02/12/2012

No - it means she can read. And has done research and viewed data that the CDC/FDA is concealing.

[FrankBVT]

07:58 AM on 02/13/2012

And just exactly what has she read? How the decline in immunizations has allowed for the re-emergence of several diseases that could have been totally eradicated?

[Richids Coulter]

08:35 PM on 02/12/2012

I get my medical advice from science, not from government regulatory agencies who are run by pharmaceutical industries through the well documented revolving doors. For example:

Theoretical aspects of autism: Causes—A review

Journal of Immunotoxicology, January-March 2011, Vol. 8, No. 1 , Pages 68-79

Helen V. Ratajczak, PhD

Autism, a member of the pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs), has been increasing dramatically since its description by Leo Kanner in 1943. First estimated to occur in 4 to 5 per 10,000 children, the incidence of autism is now 1 per 110 in the United States, and 1 per 64 in the United Kingdom, with similar incidences throughout the world. Searching information from 1943 to the present in PubMed and Ovid Medline databases, this review summarizes results that correlate the timing of changes in incidence with environmental changes. Autism could result from more than one cause, with different manifestations in different individuals that share common symptoms. Documented causes of autism include genetic mutations and/or deletions, viral infections, and encephalitis following vaccination. Therefore, autism is the result of genetic defects and/or inflammation of the brain. The inflammation could be caused by a defective placenta, immature blood-brain barrier, the immune response of the mother to infection while pregnant, a premature birth, encephalitis in the child after birth, or a toxic environment.

[anna78495]

03:57 PM on 02/11/2012

Mexicans are bringing many diseases back into our country that we had undercontrol many tears ago. Beware of who your childrens classmates are.

[ohiopositive]

03:30 PM on 02/11/2012

Before I opened the story, I was thinking bio-terrorism. Terrible that my mind went there, but I guess it is possible. Closed in area like a domed stadium...whoooo, easy to spread a lot of viruses.

I never had a single one of those childhood things (chicken pox, measles, mumps etc...) Guess that shows that innoculations work.

[irishkids1234]

03:17 PM on 02/11/2012

Not too farfetched to see how bio-terrorism is a very real threat.

[jyrkpcnp]

03:17 PM on 02/11/2012

Looks like another case of lack of proper immunizations. Either these people didn't have the MMR vaccine, or the vaccine produced no antibodies. Cases are increasing among
unvaccinated immigrants, travelers, and groups in the USA who refuse recommended and/or required vaccines. And, no, the MMR vaccine doesn't cause autism.

[holyghostie]

10:44 PM on 02/11/2012

whooping cough is back....thanks to the many people coming here from other lands.

[jyrkpcnp]

07:46 PM on 02/12/2012

It sure is, for same reasons listed for reported cases of measles! Have you gotten your booster of Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis)? See cdc.gov/vaccines for updates for recommended childhood and adult immunzations.

[Richids Coulter]

08:39 PM on 02/12/2012

That's incorrect holyghostie - even the CDC won't back you up on that theory. Pertussis is cyclic, there are outbreaks every 3~5 years regardless of vaccination rates. Pertussis vaccine does nothing to prevent whooping cough, it merely lessens the symptoms in those who have been vaccinated, but protection wanes 36% annually. Misinformation won't get you anywhere.

Farizo KM, Cochi SL, Zell ER, Brink EW, Wassilak SG, Patriarca PA. Epidemiologic features of pertussis in the United States, 1980--1989. Clin Infect Dis 1992;14:708--19.

[Richids Coulter]

08:36 PM on 02/12/2012

Actually the MMR vaccine can cause autism, 75% of cases are from environmental toxicity and vaccines are environmentally toxic along with skin care products, cleaning products, industrial pollution, automobiles, etc., etc.

The CDC's April 2011 statistics showed that 21% of measles cases in the US were amongst those with between 1~3 doses of MMR.

[jyrkpcnp]

10:17 PM on 02/12/2012

Show me the recent studies on the relationship of MMR to autism. Again, no vaccine is 100% effective. MMR is no exception.

[affbruce]

03:05 PM on 02/11/2012

I'm not worried about them; if they have the money for Super Bowl tickets, they can afford the best healthcare money can buy.

[VietnamTET]

06:22 PM on 02/11/2012

One would think, huh?

[affbruce]

12:07 PM on 02/12/2012

On the other hand they showed how stupid they are by showing up with one of the most contagious diseases they can give to their fellow man. Someone that dumb may not come out of the rain, let alone seek treatment.

[mossypond]

07:00 PM on 02/11/2012

Sadly, the amount of money one has is often inversely proportional to their amount of common sense.

[firststatemate]

03:04 PM on 02/11/2012

Chicken pox was the most disgusting thing I had as a child. Now at age 60 I just got some new vaccine called zoster something or other that may help prevent shingles which apparently has some connection with having the pox as a child. Does anyone know more about it? I just get poked with something new every time i gho the doctors. It sucks getting old.

[smenow]

03:39 PM on 02/11/2012

@firststatemate, it may "suck getting old", but it beats the alternative of dieing young.... At 61, I can relate to what you are saying... although, I think I had most of the childhood diseases, myself... had Measles, Ruebella, Mumps, Scarlet Fever, Chicken Pox and multiple bouts of Strep Throat.... Being the middle of 5 siblings could have had something to do with all of that... lol I caught things from both older and younger siblings.

[Marian Bailey]

04:17 PM on 02/11/2012

Chicken Pox is a virus. It stays dormant in your system for the rest of your life if you've ever had it. Then years later, it rears it's ugly head in nerve endings. Shingles can happen in most any part of your body, but mostly happens around your girth. They blister then scab over If you knock the scab off, they'll bleed like crazy.Also, they itch like h-ll , but are very painful at the same time.
Been there, done that. Not a nice feeling.

[Jo Moxley]

05:19 PM on 02/11/2012

While the virus part of this statement is true, the dormant part is only partially true. I have been exposed to and gotten Chicken pox three times. And each time I got it was worse than the time before. I have visable scars from the nasty little itchy bumps that go with it and so afraid that now, in my sixties, I will be exposed again and have to go through the agony that is shingles. My Mom had shingles in her fortys and was miserable with it for a couple Months. Every time I hear that one of my younger freinds' kids has Chicken Pox, I make it a point to stay as far away from them as possible.

[Marian Bailey]

07:30 PM on 02/11/2012

Shingles are very contagious, too. Don't know about chickenpox more than once, tho. I'll have to look it up. I really hope you never get the shingles. They HURT.