The measles eradication programme in the German Democratic Republic

After 3 years of intensive preparations the Ministry of Health of the German Democratic Republic started a national measles eradication programme in 1967. Vaccination was at first voluntary, but became compulsory in 1970. Through a vaccination campaign using Leningrad-16/SSW attenuated live vaccine, the disease was virtually eliminated throughout the country by 1972. In 1973 and 1974 only sporadic cases of measles were observed. The number of vaccination failures was negligible. Combined immunization against measles and poliomyelitis provoked no unusual reactions, and the difference between the seroconversion rates following combined or separate immunization was not statistically significant.