Measles in health-care settings.
Despite the availability of an effective and safe vaccine for almost half a century, measles is re-emerging in several developed countries because of the insufficient vaccination coverage among specific subpopulations, the emerging anti-vaccination movement, and the increasing movement of humans across borders. In this context, health-care settings play a critical role in the transmission of infection and generation of numerous cases. Health-care-associated outbreaks may be associated with severe morbidity and mortality among specific groups of patients, disruption of health-care services, and considerable costs. Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis of a measles case and inadequate implementation of infection control measures are common in almost all events of nosocomial spread. Measles vaccination of health-care workers is an effective means of prevention of nosocomial measles outbreaks. Eliminating measles by 2010 has not been accomplished. Stronger recommendations and higher vaccination coverage against measles in health-care workers could contribute to eliminate measles in the general population.
Department for Interventions in Health Care Facilities, Hellenic-Centre for Disease, Control and Prevention, Athens, Greece. helen-maltezou@ath.forthnet.gr
Helena C
HC
Maltezou
Sabine
S
Wicker
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D014943:Global Health; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008457:Measles / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D015995:Prevalence; D014611:Vaccination; D055815:Young Adult