Extract

Background

The measles virus, genus Morbillivirus of the Paramyxoviridae family, only infects humans. Measles is transmitted by droplets when the infected individual is coughing or sneezing. It is highly infectious (R0 = 15–20 in a completely susceptible population),1 especially in closed environments such as shopping malls, schools and other confined places. Infected individuals can shed the virus up to 4 days before the appearance of their symptoms and up to 4 days after the onset of symptoms.2 Also, its RNA is still detected in biological samples for many weeks.3 Measles is characterized by its high infectivity. The initial clinical manifestations include runny nose, cough, red and watery eyes and small white spots inside the cheeks. After several days, a maculo-papular exanthema erupts.4 Measles was controlled in some regions, including Brazil. Recently, some outbreaks were reported in the country in the past few years and may represent a risk for transmission during mass gathering events, such as the Olympic Games. For that reason, the aim of this article is to discuss the potential risk for Measles transmission in the country during the Olympic Games and also preventive measures in order to avoid other outbreaks.

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