Clinical and epidemiological findings during a measles outbreak occurring in a population with high vaccination coverage

• Published in: Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical
• Main Authors: Solange Artimos de Oliveira, Walquíria Nascimento Soares, Marcos Olivier Dalston, Maria Teresa G.N. de Almeida, Antonio José L. Costa
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT) 1995
• Subjects: Epidemiologia do sarampo; Falha de vacinação; Complicações do sarampo; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0037-86821995000400006; https://doaj.org/article/c234c9542c05489ba231d7398a985569

From March 1991 to April 1992, 250 measles suspected cases were studied in the Municipality of Niterói, State of Rio de Janeiro. The median age found was 11 years and 76.0% of the cases were in school age children. Exposure histories were present in 149 patients and schools were the most frequent sites of transmission (45.0%). Vaccination status was known for 127 studied cases and 76.4% of them had received measles vaccine before their first birthday. One or more complications were reported for 68 cases aitd in 8.9% of the studied cases hospitalization was required. Frequency of complications varied according to each age group studied and were more commonly encountered among children < 1 year of age (55.6%). The history of previous vaccination did not diminish the number of complications of the cases studied. The results of this work show changes in age distribution of measles leading to sizeable outbreaks among teenagers and young adults.