Measles - An Infrequent Illness Leads to an Interesting Exposure Investigation

A middle-aged female with a rash was transferred by ground ambulance from a small, rural hospital to the Emergency Department (ED) of a large teaching hospital. The rash appeared four days before she presented to the first hospital. The rash was preceded by malaise, dry cough, some non-bloody diarrhea, myalgias, and headache. Potential diagnoses included measles and tick borne diseases. Standard and droplet precautions were initiated.