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Safety Precautions and Operating Procedures in an (A)BSL-4 Laboratory: 3. Aerobiology
11:13

Safety Precautions and Operating Procedures in an (A)BSL-4 Laboratory: 3. Aerobiology

Published on: October 3, 2016

Air travel as a risk factor for introduction of measles in a highly vaccinated population

Robert S van Binnendijk1, Susan Hahné, Aura Timen

  • 1National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands. Rob.van.Binnendijk@rivm.nl

Vaccine
|September 13, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Two measles clusters in The Netherlands were linked to air travel and hospital spread. Despite high vaccination rates, pockets of low coverage pose measles control challenges.

Area of Science:

  • Epidemiology
  • Virology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Measles remains a threat globally, necessitating robust control strategies.
  • High vaccination coverage is crucial for herd immunity and preventing outbreaks.
  • Understanding transmission dynamics is key to effective public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the epidemiology and molecular characteristics of two measles clusters in The Netherlands.
  • To identify the sources and transmission routes of measles cases.
  • To assess the impact of travel and healthcare settings on measles spread.

Main Methods:

  • Epidemiological investigation including case finding and contact tracing.
  • Molecular analysis of measles virus strains to determine genetic relatedness.
  • Analysis of vaccination status and travel history of affected individuals.

Main Results:

  • Two distinct measles clusters were identified in July/August 2007.
  • The first cluster was associated with air travel of the index case and nosocomial (hospital) spread.
  • Importations did not lead to widespread outbreaks due to high overall vaccination coverage (>95%), but highlighted risks in under-vaccinated pockets.

Conclusions:

  • Air travel and healthcare settings can facilitate measles importations and local transmission.
  • Maintaining high vaccination coverage is essential for preventing measles outbreaks.
  • Targeted interventions are needed to address pockets of low vaccination coverage to eliminate measles.

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