Texas Children's Hospital fires nurse who posted about boy with measles

PHOTOS: Vaccination exemptions A single-dose vial of the measles-mumps-rubella virus vaccine. >>Here are the cities with the most non-medical exemptions for vaccines... PHOTOS: Vaccination exemptions A single-dose vial of the measles-mumps-rubella virus vaccine. >>Here are the cities with the most non-medical exemptions for vaccines... Photo: Damian Dovarganes, STF / Associated Press Photo: Damian Dovarganes, STF / Associated Press Image 1 of / 23 Caption Close Texas Children's Hospital fires nurse who posted about boy with measles 1 / 23 Back to Gallery

A nurse at Texas Children’s Hospital has been discharged after she posted information on social media about a boy who tested positive for measles, hospital officials said Tuesday afternoon.

The hospital took the action four days after learning Friday of the nurse's posts on Facebook. The boy, who is between 1 and 3 years old, was treated at the hospital's west campus in the Energy Corridor.

"We were made aware that one of our nurses posted protected health information regarding a patient on social media," Texas Children's said in a statement. "We take these matters very seriously as the privacy and well-being of our patients is always a top priority. After an internal investigation, this individual is no longer with the organization.

The nurse has not been involved in patient care since Friday, according to the hospital.

The nurse posted about the child on an anti-vaccination group's Facebook page called Proud Parents of Unvaccinated Children-Texas, according to screenshots of posts obtained by The Houston Chronicle.

It's not clear whether the child was vaccinated for the measles virus. The boy had recently traveled overseas, Houston Health Department officials said in a Facebook post Monday night.

The nurse, who listed Texas Children's as her workplace on Facebook, described her experience seeing a child with measles for the first time.

“I think it’s easy for us nonvaxxers to make assumptions but most of us have never and will never see one of these diseases," she said. "By no means have I changed my vax stance, and I never will. But I just wanted to share my experience and how much worse it was than I expected."

Health officials say that the vaccine is the best way to prevent the illness. The last confirmed case of measles in Houston was in 2013. And over the past 10 years, Houston has averaged fewer than one reported case of measles per year, according to the Houston Health Department.

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“This is a highly-contagious, vaccine-preventable infection,” Texas Children’s Hospital said in a statement. “We know vaccination is the best protection against measles.”

The health department is investigating the case, which is still being treated as a "suspected" case of measles, pending verification from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Texas Children’s Hospital has also contacted families of any other children who may have come in contact with the boy, according to the statement.

The boy's condition is unknown. Texas Children’s Hospital officials couldn’t confirm where the boy traveled, his specific age or whether he was vaccinated, citing hospital privacy laws.

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Measles is a viral respiratory illness, with symptoms including fever, runny nose, a hacking cough, red eyes with severe sensitivity to light and a distinctive rash, according to Texas Children's.

It's spread through direct contact with discharge through the nose and mouth, as well as through coughing and sneezing.

The first dose of the Measles, Mumps and Rubella vaccine is usually given between 12 and 15 months of age, according to Texas Children's. The second dose is administered typically between 4 and 6 years of age. The first dose prevents measles in 93 percent of people, and the second dose prevents measles in 97 percent of people, according to the hospital.