title: [Molecular surveillance shows progress in measles elimination process].
abstract: Measles is a severe disease caused by infection with the measles virus. Complications after the onset of infection lead to 1-3 fatalities per 1,000 cases in industrialized countries. If more than 95 % of the global population were vaccinated twice with the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, measles could be eliminated worldwide. The elimination of measles and rubella should be reached in the WHO Europe region in 2015. One important criterion for elimination of the measles virus consists in the analysis of the duration of transmission chains initiated by the import of measles virus. To assign measles viruses to outbreaks and transmission chains, genetic characterization is necessary. These investigations have been performed continually at the National Reference Center Measles, Mumps, Rubella since 1999, when the German Intervention Program was launched. This article summarizes our experiences with measles virus genotyping and new developments with respect to measles elimination in Germany.
authors.affiliation: Fachgebiet Masern, Mumps, Röteln und Viren bei Abwehrschwäche, Nationales Referenzzentrum Masern, Mumps, Röteln, Robert Koch-Institut, Nordufer 20, 13353, Berlin, Deutschland. santibanezs@rki.de
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Santibanez
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mankertz
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D060740:Disease Eradication / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D005820:Genetic Testing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008457:Measles / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008458:Measles Vaccine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D057089:Pathology, Molecular / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014611:Vaccination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014944:World Health Organization
chemical_list: D008458:Measles Vaccine