title: Spotlight on measles in Italy: why outbreaks of a vaccine-preventable infection continue in the 21st century.
abstract: Measles is a serious infectious disease that can lead to significant morbidity and mortality. Remarkable progress has been made through measles vaccination in reducing the number of people dying from measles. In the last years, concerns about the safety of vaccines have led to decline in immunization coverage rates and new outbreaks of measles in many European countries, including Italy. We believe that it is important to reinforce the message that measles vaccine is safe and highly effective through appropriate information campaigns and public awareness.
authors.affiliation: Operative Unit of Clinical Microbiology, Laboratory of Virology, St. Orsola-Malpighi General Hospital, University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Piccirilli
authors.forename: Tiziana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lazzarotto
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chiereghin
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Serra
authors.forename: Liliana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gabrielli
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lanari
mesh_terms: D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000209:etiology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008457:Measles / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008459:Measles virus / Q000276:immunology*; D022542:Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine / Q000276:immunology*; D014611:Vaccination / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D022542:Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine
keywords: MMR vaccine; autism; children; immunization; measles; outbreak; vaccination