title: Progress toward elimination of measles from the Americas.
abstract: In 1994, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) established the goal of eliminating measles from the Western Hemisphere by 2000. To reach this goal, PAHO developed a measles-elimination strategy that includes three vaccination components ("catch-up," "keep-up," and "follow-up") and integrated epidemiologic and laboratory surveillance. The aim of the strategy is to achieve and maintain high levels of measles immunity among infants and children and detect all chains of transmission of measles virus through careful surveillance. This report updates measles surveillance data through February 1998 and summarizes the impact of elimination strategies on measles in the Americas.
mesh_terms: D000569:Americas / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs; D008457:Measles / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008458:Measles Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010175:Pan American Health Organization
chemical_list: D008458:Measles Vaccine