title: [Outbreak management of measles. Requirement for official measures in light of the judgment of the Supreme Court].
abstract: Measles outbreaks can be limited by consistent and timely management by the public health service. The aim of investigating outbreaks in the process of measles elimination is to prevent regional and also international spreading of the disease. The management of outbreaks is even more promising when the immunization coverage is already high. People without immunization can transmit the disease when they have taken contracted the measles virus. Hence, unvaccinated people are the focus of preventive measures according to the Protection Against Infection Act (Infektionsschutzgesetz). A judgment of the Federal Administrative Court of 22 March 2012 stated that individuals suspected of being contagious may be subject to a temporary prohibition of attending school so as to prevent the spread of a communicable disease. The court also pointed out which requirements are to be met by authorities before these measures are carried out. In compliance with the judgment, an outbreak investigation is thus also possible in future incidences of measles. The authority has to prove in each case that an unvaccinated person is suspected of being contagious.
authors.affiliation: Bundesministerium für Gesundheit, Bonn, Deutschland.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Höhl
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Siewerin
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Feil
mesh_terms: D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008457:Measles / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011790:Quarantine / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000379:methods*; D035521:Supreme Court Decisions; D014481:United States; D014611:Vaccination / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*