An outbreak of measles in Tanzanian refugee camps.
From March 2000 to May 2001, four camps in Kibondo District, Tanzania, hosting refugees from Burundi reported 1062 cases of measles, a highly infectious and potentially lethal disease. Of 1062 case-patients, 225 (21%) were <9 months old, 286 (27%) were 9 months to 5 years, 324 (31%) were 6-15 years, and 227 (21%) were >/=16 years old. No deaths were reported. Although, in accordance with Sphere Project guidelines for humanitarian emergencies, camp policy was to vaccinate all new arrivals aged 6 months to 15 years against measles, 152 (72%) of 210 newly arrived refugees in this age group were unvaccinated; 143 (94%) of the 152 had lived in the camp >/=1 month before rash onset. This investigation supports Sphere Project recommendations for wide age group vaccination and suggests that in some circumstances vaccination of refugees >15 years old may be beneficial.
Kamugisha
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World Health Organization, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. kamuc@ud.co.tz
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D000293:Adolescent; D002063:Burundi / Q000208:ethnology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008457:Measles / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008458:Measles Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012036:Refugees; D013636:Tanzania / Q000453:epidemiology; D014611:Vaccination / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards
D008458:Measles Vaccine