title: Molecular epidemiology of measles virus in Italy during 2008.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In view of the goal of measles elimination, it is of great importance to assess the circulation of wild-type measles virus (MV). Genetic analysis is indispensable to understand the epidemiology of measles. A large measles outbreak occurred in Italy in 2008, with over 4000 cases reported to the enhanced measles surveillance system introduced in 2007, 37% of which were laboratory confirmed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Urine and saliva samples were collected during 2008. A phylogenetic analysis of measles sequences was performed in order to understand the epidemiological situation of wild-type (MV) circulation in that period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Data showed predominant circulation of the genotype D4. Genotypes A, D8, D9 and H1 were also detected in a small number of samples, probably representing imported cases.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Parassitarie ed Immunomediate, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy. fabio.magurano@iss.it
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Magurano
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fortuna
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baggieri
authors.forename: Antonietta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Filia
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Benedetti
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bucci
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marchi
authors.forename: Loredana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nicoletti
mesh_terms: D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008457:Measles / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D008459:Measles virus / Q000235:genetics*; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D062486:Public Health Surveillance; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction