Progress toward measles elimination in Romania after a mass vaccination campaign and implementation of enhanced measles surveillance.
In response to an outbreak of >33,000 measles cases in 1996-1998 and to prevent an outbreak predicted for 2002, Romania conducted a nationwide measles-rubella vaccination campaign in October 1998. Some 2.1 million children aged 7-18 years were vaccinated. Data from national surveillance and seroprevalence studies conducted in three districts were used to assess the campaign and status of measles control. Surveillance data showed a dramatic drop in measles despite enhanced surveillance starting in October 1999. From October 1999 to December 2001, 400 suspected measles cases were reported, down from about 5000 cases annually in non-outbreak years. Only 29 (8%) of 386 cases with specimens were laboratory confirmed; 14 were clinically confirmed. Seroprevalence estimates showed high measles antibody levels before (92.9%) and after (94.4%) the campaign. The low number of laboratory-confirmed cases and high population immunity suggest that interruption of indigenous measles virus transmission is a real possibility for Romania.
General Department of Public Health, National Immunization Program, Ministry of Health, Bucharest, Romania.
Adriana
A
Pistol
Karen
K
Hennessey
Daniela
D
Pitigoi
Nicolae
N
Ion-Nedelcu
Emilia
E
Lupulescu
Laura
L
Walls
William
W
Bellini
Peter
P
Strebel
D000293:Adolescent; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D008297:Male; D008457:Measles / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008458:Measles Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012383:Romania / Q000453:epidemiology; D012409:Rubella / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012410:Rubella Syndrome, Congenital / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012411:Rubella Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D008458:Measles Vaccine; D012411:Rubella Vaccine