[Cases of measles in Denmark are caused by reintroduction of virus from abroad].
Measles vaccination was implemented in the child vaccination programme in Denmark in 1987 and produced a rapid decline in the incidence. Few cases were recorded annually until 1999. The measles virus isolated in Denmark during 1997-1998 was compared by partial sequencing of the haemagglutinin-coding region with Danish strains from the prevaccination era collected in 1965-1983, as well as with representatives of globally circulating strains of today. The dissimilarity of the prevaccination era strains identified in Denmark in 1997-1998 along with the similarity of these five strains with globally circulating strains at present, substantiate the conclusion that there is no persistent circulation of the measles virus in Denmark.
Christensen
L S
LS
H:S Rigshospitalet, klinisk mikrobiologisk afdeling, Statens Serum Institut, epidemiologisk afdeling og virologisk afdeling, og Københavns Universitet, Institut for Medicinsk Mikrobiologi og Immunologi. siig@biobase.dk
Schöller
S
S
Rasmussen
B
B
Dahl
L
L
Plesner
A M
AM
Westh
H
H
Pedersen
I R
IR
Mordhorst
C H
CH
D002648:Child; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008457:Measles / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology*; D008458:Measles Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008459:Measles virus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
D008458:Measles Vaccine