Measles outbreak in Northern Central African Republic 3 years after the last national immunization campaign.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Despite huge efforts to promote widespread vaccination, measles remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, especially in African children. In March 2011, an abnormally high number of cases were reported from the Ouham Prefecture, Central African Republic to the national measles case-based surveillance system. In response, reactive vaccination activities were implemented. The aims of this study were to investigate this outbreak and describe the response.

Methods

Measles cases were defined according to WHO recommendations. In the first weeks of the outbreak, blood samples were collected and sent to the Institut Pasteur in Bangui for laboratory confirmation by detection of IgM antibodies against measles virus. In addition, a portion of viral RNA

SUBMITTER: Tricou V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3599156 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature