Measles risk groups in Spain: Implications for the European measles-elimination target

• Published in: Vaccine Vol. 27; no. 30; pp. 3927 - 3934
• Main Authors: Peña-Rey, Isabel, Martínez de Aragón, Victoria, Mosquera, Mar, de Ory, Fernando, Echevarría, Juan Emilio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 19-06-2009; Elsevier; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Age; Age Factors; Allergy and Immunology; Applied microbiology; Biological and medical sciences; Children & youth; Disease Outbreaks; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Health risks; Human viral diseases; Humans; Immunization; Incidence; Infants; Infectious diseases; Laboratories; Measles; Measles - epidemiology; Measles - immunology; Measles - prevention & control; Medical sciences; Microbiology; Outbreaks; Risk Assessment; Risk groups; Spain; Spain - epidemiology; Studies; Surveillance; Teenagers; Vaccines; Vaccines, antisera, therapeutical immunoglobulins and monoclonal antibodies (general aspects); Viral diseases; Viral diseases with cutaneous or mucosal lesions and viral diseases of the eye; Young adults; Europe; Spain; Risk groups; Measles; Spain; Infection; Viral disease
• ISSN: 0264-410X; 1873-2518
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2009.04.024

Abstract The European Region has set itself the goal of eliminating measles by 2010. Incidence has increased in recent years. This study sought to investigate outbreaks in Spain in the period 2005–2007, in order to identify measles-vulnerable groups and compare Spain to other European countries which have also had measles outbreaks. The pattern observed for Spain proved different to that of other European countries, i.e., whereas young adults and infants aged under 15 months were affected in Spain, children aged under 9 years comprised the predominant group in other European countries. Measles cases in Spain reflect low coverage when vaccination began, a pattern that could be repeated in neighbouring countries. Vaccination efforts should thus be targeted at vulnerable groups, namely: young adults; health professionals; travelling communities; and adopted infants and foreigners from countries with important pockets of susceptibles.