The CBIC Certified Infection Control Exam Study Guide (6th edition) emphasizes that measles is a reportable, airborne disease, but actions such as public health notification and contact tracing should occur after appropriate clinical and laboratory confirmation is initiated, unless there is a clear epidemiologic link or high clinical suspicion.
In this scenario, the diagnosis was made solely on the basis of rash, which is insufficient to confirm measles. Many viral illnesses can present with rash, and misclassification can lead to unnecessary alarm, resource use, and disruption. Therefore, the next appropriate step for the infection preventionist is to discuss necessary diagnostic testing with the provider, such as measles-specific IgM serology and PCR testing, to confirm or rule out measles.
Options A and B are premature. Public health notification and contact tracing are essential after measles is suspected and testing is initiated or confirmed, but they should not precede diagnostic clarification when the diagnosis is uncertain. Option D may support clinical assessment but does not replace the need for laboratory confirmation.
The Study Guide highlights that infection preventionists must balance rapid response with diagnostic accuracy. Ensuring appropriate testing is initiated first allows subsequent infection control actions—such as airborne exposure assessment and public health reporting—to be targeted, evidence-based, and defensible.
For the CIC® exam, this question tests understanding of sequencing infection prevention actions, reinforcing that confirmation and testing discussion is the critical next step before escalation.
