Guidance

National measles guidelines

How to manage cases of suspected measles: what patient details to take, who to notify and assessing risk of disease spreading in close contacts.

Applies to England

Documents

National measles guidelines

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Measles warn and inform letter

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Details

The national measles guidelines for health professionals covers:

  • how to decide if a suspected case of measles is ‘likely’ or ‘unlikely’
  • case management – what lab tests should be done and the importance of oral fluid testing on all suspected cases
  • measles control – identifying vulnerable contacts and assessing their need for post-exposure prophylaxis

As detailed in the guidance, the measles warn and inform letter can be used where it is necessary to contact a number of people who have been potentially exposed to a case of measles – please see the guidelines for further information about this.

The measles factsheet can be given to individuals to give them information about:

  • what measles is and how it spreads
  • symptoms and complications of measles
  • vaccination
  • what to do if you have measles

Translations of warn and inform letters

These translated warn and inform letters open as Word documents.

Translations of factsheets

These translated factsheets open as PDF documents.

Published 28 October 2010
Last updated 8 March 2024 + show all updates
  1. Added translations of the warn and inform letters and factsheets.

  2. Clarification of responsibilities for risk assessment in healthcare settings page 37. Further product information added on immunoglobulin product, Cuvitru, page 35.

  3. Added factsheet and updated letter.

  4. Updated guidance see page 3 for change history.

  5. Updated guidance, including additional section on defining the time window for receiving post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).

  6. Updated guidance.

  7. Added latest version of guidelines.

  8. Updated to reflect revised clinical advice.

  9. First published.