title: Successful control and impending elimination of measles in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
abstract: Measles is still one of the most common infectious killers of children in the world, especially in developing countries. In Iran, during the prevaccine era, 150,000-500,000 cases of measles were reported annually, with a death rate of 10%-15%. After the establishment of Expanded Program on Immunization program in 1984, vaccination rates for the first and second doses of measles vaccine increased to >90% by the mid-1990s, and the number of measles cases decreased to 2652 in 1996. In response to increased numbers of cases in older age groups during 1996-2002, a nationwide measles-rubella vaccination campaign was conducted in 2003, and 33,100,000 persons (99%) aged 5-25 years were vaccinated. During 2004-2009, 221 laboratory-confirmed measles cases (<1 case per million population) were detected, primarily in rural areas and among migrant groups who traveled to or came from high-incidence countries. High routine immunization coverage, low disease incidence, and surveillance system data suggest that interruption of endemic virus transmission might have already been achieved in Iran, but challenges remain and continued efforts are needed to sustain this accomplishment.
authors.affiliation: Vaccine Preventable Diseases Department, Center for Communicable Diseases Control, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Mohsen
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Zahraei
authors.forename: Mohamad M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Gouya
authors.forename: Talat Mokhtari
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Azad
authors.forename: Rambod
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Soltanshahi
authors.forename: Azam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sabouri
authors.forename: Boubker
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Naouri
authors.forename: James P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Alexander
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003140:Communicable Disease Control / Q000458:organization & administration; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008457:Measles / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008458:Measles Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008459:Measles virus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D022542:Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011159:Population Surveillance; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D008458:Measles Vaccine; D022542:Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine