2008-04-04 update
- Health Info
April 4, 2008
Important Notice (Prevention of Measles)
for University of Tokyo students, faculty members and administrative staff
Health Service Center, The University of Tokyo
This year some students were diagnosed with measles at the University of Tokyo. Measles is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus, so the disease may continue to spread and more individuals could be infected. Prevention of measles by vaccination is important for those who have never had the disease nor been vaccinated twice. (1) If you have never had the measles nor been vaccinated against measles twice
You are recommended to receive a vaccination. However, if you have any of the following symptoms, please refrain from coming to campus, and see a doctor at the nearest hospital or clinic. (Please do not forget to tell the medical institution in advance that you have possible symptoms of measles and follow their instructions.)
• High fever (37.5°C or higher) with upper-respiratory symptoms (cough or runny nose).
• Koplik's spots (red spots with white centers) seen inside the mouth when the fever goes down.
• Erythematous rash spread widely over the upper body with fever several days after the symptoms first appear.
(2) If you are diagnosed as having measles
Please refrain from coming to campus. Please stay at home for at least three days even after the fever goes down. Absence due to the diagnosis of measles (including the period until the diagnosis is confirmed by a blood test, etc.) is treated as "required absence" pursuant to the provisions of the School Health Law.
Please notify the relevant branch of the University of Tokyo Health Service Center by telephone.
You may transmit the virus to others four days before and five days after you have a rash. People with whom you are in contact during this period may contract the disease from 10 to 14 days later. If there are several people who are infected with measles in your class, laboratory, club, or workplace, please contact the Health Service Center as soon as possible.
(3) If you are in direct contact with an infected person
Vaccination within a 72-hours contact is considered as an effective prevention for those who have never been vaccinated in the past or have never contracted the disease.
You may be susceptible to infection with measles if you have never contracted the disease, you have not been vaccinated twice, or antibody count in your blood is not sufficiently high. Please be sure to measure body temperature every morning. If you have a fever, please follow the instruction of above-mentioned (1).
If you are in direct contact with an infected person during the incubation period, you may experience the symptoms in 10 to 14 days after contact.
(4) If you are not sure whether you had the measles in the past or how many times you have been vaccinated.
Please check whether you are already immune to measles in your health handbook or by asking your family members.
You may check immunity to measles by having an antibody test. However, if you have been vaccinated against measles only once, you can receive a second vaccination without waiting for the test result. In this case, please have a vaccination at medical institution.
(5) If you are a staff member or responsible for a class or workplace and receive a report regarding an outbreak of measles
Please contact the staff member responsible at your faculty or graduate school, and the Health Service Center.
The University of Tokyo Health Service Center Contact List
- Healthcare Section, Hongo Campus Telephone: 03-5841-2580 Extension: 22580
- Healthcare Section, Komaba Campus Telephone: 03-5454-6180 Extension: 46180
- Clinic for Internal Medicine, Kashiwa Campus Telephone: 04-7136-3040 Extension: 63040
