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Updated: Jul 13, 2026
11:56
Ex Vivo Infection of Murine Epidermis with Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1
Published on: August 24, 2015
Measles: not just another viral exanthem.
1Centre for International Child Health, Department of Paediatrics, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia. trevor.duke@rch.org.au
Lancet (London, England)
|March 7, 2003
Summary
Increasing measles vaccine coverage, especially in developing nations, significantly reduces childhood deaths and complications. Achieving high coverage requires mass vaccination campaigns and improved infrastructure for sustained control.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Infectious Disease Epidemiology
- Vaccinology
Background:
- Measles is a leading cause of vaccine-preventable childhood mortality, particularly affecting unvaccinated infants in developing countries.
- High vaccine coverage (over 95%) is crucial for interrupting endemic measles transmission, often necessitating supplementary mass vaccination campaigns.
- Substantial health benefits, including reduced mortality and disease severity, are achievable even with partial improvements in measles vaccine coverage.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the health gains and cost-effectiveness of various measles control strategies.
- To inform policy decisions for measles control tailored to specific country settings.
- To address clinical uncertainties in measles management and identify priorities for global control efforts.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of health gains associated with improved measles vaccine coverage.
- Review of cost-effectiveness of different vaccination strategies (e.g., mass campaigns, two-dose schedules).
- Examination of clinical management issues and research priorities.
Main Results:
- Improved measles vaccine coverage leads to significant reductions in complications and case fatality rates.
- Mass vaccination campaigns are often required to achieve high coverage levels for endemic transmission interruption.
- Bacterial superinfection is a major contributor to measles-related pneumonia, highlighting the need for optimized case management.
Conclusions:
- Global efforts should prioritize supporting developing countries in increasing and sustaining measles vaccine coverage.
- International partnerships are vital for reducing child mortality from measles and preventing imported cases.
- Further research into cost-effectiveness and clinical management is needed to optimize measles control policies.
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