Microbiology: A Systems Approach 4th Edition by Marjorie Kelly Cowan

Exercise 5

Super Bowl Fever It May Be the Measles
In 2012, the safest way to watch the Super Bowl matchup between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots may have been from your living room. Shortly after the New York Giants took home the Vince Lombardi Trophy, news reports surfaced that someone infected with measles visited the Super Bowl Village in Indianapolis. This was an entertainment venue set up for fans during Super Bowl week, and an estimated 200,000 visitors were potentially exposed to the infected individual. Indiana officials later reported a total of 14 confirmed cases of measles in central Indiana resulting from exposure during the Super Bowl celebrations, all among individuals who were not vaccinated.
This isn't the first incident in which a measles outbreak has accompanied a major sporting event. The 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver attracted over 60,000 visitors to the opening ceremonies alone and spawned many outdoor celebrations following Canada's record of 14 gold medals at the games. Following the Olympics, 85 individuals in the province of British Columbia became infected with measles, the majority of whom were individuals who also had not been vaccinated.
What type of infectious agent is responsible for causing the measles
How is measles spread
Why would individuals attending sporting events be more susceptible to exposure to the measles
Measles infection is caused by an enveloped, negative-sense RNA Morbillivirus and is spread primarily through the respiratory route. In most cases, it causes a mild, maculopapular rash, a fever of 101°F or higher, cough, sore throat, and conjunctivitis. Most people recover with few side effects. However, in a small number of cases, patients can develop pneumonia; and in 1 in 100 cases, encephalitis can occur, resulting in permanent brain damage or epilepsy. The incubation period for measles is 7 to 18 days, so an individual may be harboring the virus and unknowingly spreading it to others.

Sporting events usually involve large numbers of people often crowded into a stadium, arena, or outdoor field. Over 68,000 people attended the Super Bowl in 2012, and over 200,000 visited the Super Bowl Village in the days before the big game. Close proximity to others, lots of screaming and yelling for favorite teams, and an airborne virus all combined in a perfect storm for the transmission of the measles virus.
Why should health officials be concerned about measles outbreaks in the United States
Why have vaccination rates declined
What are physicians doing to counter the decline in vaccination against the measles virus