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Assessment of the Epidemiology and Burden of Measles in Southern Mozambique

2011; American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene; Volume: 85; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.4269/ajtmh.2011.10-0517

1476-1645

Inácio Mandomando, Denise Naniche, Marcela F. Pasetti, Lilian Cuberos, Sergi Sanz, Xavier Vallès, Betuel Sigaúque, Eusébio Macete, Delino Nhalungo, Karen L. Kotloff, Myron M. Levine, Pedro L. Alonso,

Viral Infections and Outbreaks Research

Measles has been a major killer among vaccine-preventable diseases in children < 5 years of age in developing countries. Despite progress in global efforts to reduce mortality, measles remains a public health problem. Hospital-based measles surveillance was conducted in Manhica, Mozambique (July 2001–September 2004). Suspected cases and community-based controls were enrolled, and blood was collected for immunoglobulin M (IgM) confirmation. Two hundred fifty-three suspected cases and 477 controls were enrolled, with 85% (216 of 253) cases reported during a measles outbreak. Measles-IgM confirmation was 30% among suspected cases and 5% in controls. Fifty-eight percent (14 of 24) of laboratory-confirmed cases had records indicating previous measles vaccination. Mortality was 3% (8 of 246) among cases and 1% among controls (6 of 426). Forty-five percent (33 of 74) of cases were < 24 months of age and 22% occurred in infants < 9 months of age and were associated with a high case-fatality rate (25%). Our data suggest that improved diagnostics, new tools to protect infants < 9 months of age, and a supplemental dose of measles vaccine could assist measles control.