Measles epidemiology in Catalonia (Spain) : implications for a regional vaccination programme

• Published in: International journal of epidemiology Vol. 28; no. 3; pp. 558 - 562
• Main Authors: GODOY, P, DOMINGUEZ, A, ALVAREZ, J, CAMPS, N, JANSA, J. M, MINGUELL, S, SALLERAS, L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Oxford University Press 01-06-1999; Oxford Publishing Limited (England)
• Subjects: Adolescent; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child, Preschool; Confidence Intervals; Epidemiology. Vaccinations; Female; General aspects; Humans; Immunization Programs; Infectious diseases; Male; Measles - epidemiology; Measles - prevention & control; Measles - transmission; Medical sciences; Multivariate Analysis; Odds Ratio; Spain - epidemiology; Vaccination; Europe; Spain; Human; Infection; Evaluation; Sanitary program; Viral disease; Measles; Vaccination; Child; Epidemiology; Public health; Incidence
• ISSN: 0300-5771; 1464-3685
• DOI: 10.1093/ije/28.3.558

To analyse progress in measles control it is recommended that immunization programmes be evaluated by means of specific epidemiological disease surveillance. The aim of the study was to analyse a series of measles cases in Catalonia in the light of vaccination records.
Cases were detected by means of the epidemiological surveillance system and then surveyed for information on: age, sex, clinical symptoms, laboratory confirmation, record of vaccination, place of infection and possible outbreak-related links. The relationship between 'record of vaccination' and the remaining variables was determined using the adjusted odds ratio (OR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI).
The epidemiological survey confirmed that 82.2% of patients (171/208) fulfilled the case criteria. In the multivariate analysis, lack of record of vaccination was associated with age groups < 5 years (OR = 4.0; 95% CI: 1.4-11.8) and > 14 years (OR = 19.2; 95% CI: 5.1-220.5).
Improvement in vaccination coverage at 15 months and the introduction of vaccination-status monitoring at school-entry age and among those aged > 14 years on entry into the job market, university or military service could contribute to the elimination of measles.