The Open Vaccine Journal

2010, 3 : 42-47
Published online 2010 February 16. DOI: 10.2174/1875035401003010042
Publisher ID: TOVACJ-3-42

Features of a Measles Outbreak in the Elimination Era

A. Martínez , N. Torner , A. Domínguez , I. Barrabeig , A. Rovira , C. Rius , J.A. Caylà , E. Plasencia , S. Minguell , I. Parrón , M.R. Sala , C. Arias , J. Costa , M. Mosquera , C. Cabezas and A. Plasencia y Grupo de Estudio del brote de sarampión en Cataluña
Departamento de Salud, Generalitat de Cataluña, Roc Boronat 81-95, 08005 Barcelona, España

ABSTRACT

In 2000, the circulation of indigenous measles was interrupted in Catalonia as a result of the activities of the elimination programme introduced in 1991. However, various transmission chains occurred in the indigenous population after the introduction of an imported case, and this caused a total change in the existing situation of elimination. .

The objective of this study was to analyze the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of the measles outbreak in Catalonia in 2006. Cases reported between August 28 2006 and July 8 2007 were collected. Cases were microbiologically confirmed by determination of measles-specific IgM and/or detection of the viral genome in urine samples.

A total of 381 cases of measles were confirmed, representing an incidence of 6.6 per 100,000 inhabitants. Laboratory confirmation was made in 87.1% of the cases and all specimens sequenced belonged to the D4 genotype. A total of 89.5% of the cases occurred in non-vaccinated people, above all in infants aged <16 months.

Keywords:

Mumps, molecular epidemiology, genotypes.