Which isolation precautions are appropriate for a patient with measles?

• A. Airborne precautions with a negative-pressure room
• B. Droplet precautions
• C. Contact precautions
• D. Standard precautions

Answer: (A)

Measles spreads through airborne particles that can remain suspended in the air and travel beyond close contact, so controlling airborne transmission is essential. Using airborne precautions with a negative-pressure room helps prevent contaminated air from escaping to other areas, protecting other patients and staff. In addition, healthcare workers should use appropriate respiratory protection (like an N95) when entering the room. This combination directly addresses the route of transmission for measles.

Droplet precautions cover larger respiratory droplets that don’t stay suspended as long or travel as far, and they don’t prevent inhalation of small airborne particles. Contact precautions protect against touching contaminated surfaces or objects but don’t stop airborne spread. Standard precautions are the baseline measures and don’t specifically address the airborne transmission risk. Therefore, the best approach for measles is airborne precautions with a negative-pressure room.