[Retrospective epidemiologic analysis of the occurrence of measles in Slovakia]

The authors give a detailed account of the reported measles morbidity in Slovakia during the past 50 years (almost half a million notified cases). Before vaccination on a mass scale was introduced, some 1% of the notified cases died. The most frequent cause of death was pneumonia, followed by encephalitis. Since 1977 there was not a single death from measles. Before vaccination was introduced preschool children were affected most badly by the morbidity. After introduction of vaccination on a mass scale a systematic shift of the morbidity to older age groups was observed. The morbidity trend from measles tends at present towards zero and is usually interrupted by imported cases from endemic areas or minor epidemics which developed from these imported cases. Systematic vaccination with an effective vaccine leads to elimination of measles as a disease with a mass incidence. Vaccination on a mass scale logically has an impact on the incidence of complications, acute as well as late ones.