A serosurvey evaluation of the school-based measles 'catch-up' immunisation campaign in Victorian school-aged children.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the proportion of Victorian primary school students protected against measles infection one year after the completion of the measles 'catch-up' immunisation campaign of 1998 and to compare this with the proportion of year 9 and 10 (aged 14-16 years) students.


METHODS
Three-stage random cluster survey in Victorian primary and secondary schools.


METHODS
Proportion of primary and year 9 and 10 secondary school students protected against measles infection one year after the completion of the mass 'catch-up' immunisation campaign.


RESULTS
the proportion of both primary and year 9 and 10 secondary school students protected against both mumps and rubella.


RESULTS
Of 1,037 Victorian primary and 2,357 years 9 and 10 secondary school students invited to participate in this study, 403 (39%) and 752 (32%) respectively provided a blood specimen for serological testing for antibodies against measles, mumps and rubella. 94.8% (95% confidence interval, 91.5, 96.9) of primary school and 93.1% (90.9, 94.8) of year 9 and 10 students were protected against measles infection.


CONCLUSIONS
One year after the completion of the school-based measles 'catch-up' immunisation campaign the level of protection in Victorian primary school aged students is sufficient to prevent the continuing circulation of measles virus within this age group. The proportion of year 9 and 10 secondary school students protected against measles is also probably sufficient to prevent continuing circulation of wild type virus in Victoria, even though this age group was not specifically targeted by the 'catch-up' campaign.
Riddell
M A
MA
Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Victoria. michaela.riddell@mh.org.au
Leydon
J A
JA
Ugoni
A
A
Kelly
H A
HA
D000293:Adolescent; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008457:Measles / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008458:Measles Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008459:Measles virus / Q000276:immunology; D009107:Mumps / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D009109:Mumps virus / Q000276:immunology; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012412:Rubella virus / Q000276:immunology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014739:Victoria / Q000453:epidemiology
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D008458:Measles Vaccine