Measles / Rubeola

2013 Case Definition

CSTE Position Statement Number: 12-ID-07

Clinical Description

An acute illness characterized by:

• Generalized, maculopapular rash lasting ≥3 days; and
• Temperature ≥101°F or 38.3°C; and
• Cough, coryza, or conjunctivitis.

Case Classification

Probable

In the absence of a more likely diagnosis, an illness that meets the clinical description with:

• No epidemiologic linkage to a laboratory-confirmed measles case; and
• Noncontributory or no measles laboratory testing.

Confirmed

An acute febrile rash illness^† with:

• Isolation of measles virus^‡ from a clinical specimen; or
• Detection of measles-virus specific nucleic acid^‡ from a clinical specimen using polymerase chain reaction; or
• IgG seroconversion^‡ or a significant rise in measles immunoglobulin G antibody^‡ using any evaluated and validated method; or
• A positive serologic test for measles immunoglobulin M antibody^‡§; or
• Direct epidemiologic linkage to a case confirmed by one of the methods above.

^† Temperature does not need to reach ≥101°F/38.3°C and rash does not need to last ≥3 days.

^‡ Not explained by MMR vaccination during the previous 6–45 days.

^§ Not otherwise ruled out by other confirmatory testing or more specific measles testing in a public health laboratory.

CDC does not request or accept reports of suspect cases so this category is no longer needed for national reporting purposes.

Date Posted: January 10, 2013

Updated: August 19, 2020