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Resurgence of measles in Singapore: Profile of hospital cases
Author(s) -
Goh DLM,
Chew FT,
Khor SH,
Lee BW
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
journal of paediatrics and child health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.631
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1440-1754
pISSN - 1034-4810
DOI - 10.1046/j.1440-1754.1999.355407.x
Subject(s) - medicine , measles , pediatrics , vaccination , epidemiology , vaccine failure , outbreak , herd immunity , retrospective cohort study , immunization , medical record , virology , surgery , immunology , antigen
Objective: To ascertain the profile of cases of measles seen at a general hospital during a recent outbreak that occurred despite a measles vaccination program. Methodology: A retrospective study from January 1991 to March 1998. All patients with measles (ICD code 055.9) seen at the emergency unit or as inpatients were included. Results: There were 87 cases identified. The diagnosis was clinical in all and proven serologically in 71%. Eighty‐five per cent of the cases occurred between January 1997 and March 1998. There was a bi‐modal age distribution with peaks in the very young (≤ 18 months) and those aged 16–20 years. The majority was unvaccinated (58/87). A proportion (11/87) demonstrated vaccine failure, most likely primary failures. Conclusions: This changing measles epidemiology suggests lowering of herd immunity. ‘Catch up’ vaccinations in July– October 1997 given to school children aged 12–18 years (200 000 individuals or 82% of cohort), may have helped contain the outbreak. These results substantiated the need for a two‐dose policy and ‘catch‐up’ immunization program.