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Defining and assessing measles elimination goals

Mark J Papania1, Walter A Orenstein

  • 1National Immunization Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA. mpapania@cdc.gov.

The Journal of Infectious Diseases
|April 24, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Measles elimination goals are challenging due to the virus's high contagiousness. However, the United States achieved its goal of measles elimination by demonstrating the absence of endemic measles transmission for over a year.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Epidemiology
  • Infectious Disease Control

Background:

  • Measles elimination targets are established in 3 of 6 World Health Organization regions, but goals lack precise definition.
  • Achieving and sustaining zero measles incidence is difficult due to the virus's high contagiousness and the persistent risk of imported cases.
  • The United States defines measles elimination programmatically as the absence of endemic measles, specifically no indigenous transmission chains lasting one year or more.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To document the absence of endemic measles in the United States.
  • To evaluate the epidemiology, genotype distribution, population immunity, and surveillance adequacy for measles in the U.S.
  • To determine if the U.S. has met its measles elimination programmatic goal.

Main Methods:

  • Compilation of data on measles epidemiology, including genotype distribution.
  • Assessment of population immunity levels against measles.
  • Evaluation of the adequacy of the measles surveillance system in the United States.
  • Convening a panel of experts in March 2000 to review compiled data.

Main Results:

  • Data on measles epidemiology, genotype distribution, population immunity, and surveillance adequacy were compiled.
  • A panel of experts reviewed the data in March 2000.
  • The expert panel concluded that measles is no longer endemic in the United States.

Conclusions:

  • The United States has successfully achieved its programmatic goal for measles elimination.
  • The absence of endemic measles transmission has been documented through comprehensive data review and expert consensus.
  • Continued robust surveillance is essential to maintain measles elimination status and prevent re-establishment of endemic transmission.

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