Even before a single case of measles was reported this week in neighboring Allegheny County, the director of the Butler Memorial Hospital emergency room took action.

Dr. Dave Rottinghaus, an emergency medicine physician and chief medical officer at the Butler Health System, said on Thursday that he and other doctors who serve patients in the hospital's ER have boned up on symptoms of and treatment for the measles.

But because young parents and even young grandparents have never had to deal with the measles, they should also educate themselves on the virulent disease that is sweeping the nation.

“It's an outbreak of such a scope that I think everyone needs to be aware, especially the unvaccinated or those who are several years from their most recent measles vaccination,” Rottinghaus said.

He said he was not aware of any cases of measles in the county as of Thursday.

Measles symptoms, according to Rottinghaus, in infants and children are fever, diarrhea, upper respiratory symptoms, runny nose, sore throat and a rash that appears a few days after symptoms present themselves.

“Adults can get it,” Rottinghaus said. “They have the same symptoms, but a lot of times adults get a worse version of the illness.”

This is an excerpt — pick up Sunday's Butler Eagle to read the full article.