[Measles in Poland in 2006]
Paweł Stefanoff1, Mirosław P Czarkowski, Barbara Kondej
1Zakład Epidemiologii, Narodowy Instytut Zdrowia Publicznego - Państwowy Zakład Higieny, ul. Chocimska 24, 00-791 Warszawa. pstefanoff@pzh.gov.pl
Przeglad Epidemiologiczny
|September 24, 2008
Summary
Poland experienced a significant measles outbreak in 2006, with 120 cases. The outbreak highlighted vaccination gaps, with 58% of cases unvaccinated, and improved disease surveillance methods.
Area of Science:
- Public Health and Epidemiology
- Infectious Disease Surveillance
- Virology
Context:
- Poland registered 120 measles cases in 2006, a substantial increase from previous years, indicating a potential breakdown in herd immunity.
- The outbreak was partly linked to a large Ukrainian outbreak, with imported cases identified.
- Analysis revealed significant vaccination gaps, with over half of the affected individuals unvaccinated.
Purpose:
- To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of the 2006 measles outbreak in Poland.
- To assess the impact of the outbreak on public health surveillance systems.
- To identify viral genotypes and inform future measles elimination strategies.
Summary:
- The 2006 measles outbreak in Poland involved 120 cases, with the highest incidence in children under 2 and adults aged 25-29.
- Complications included pneumonia and otitis media, with 63% of cases requiring hospitalization; no deaths were reported.
- Surveillance improved significantly, with enhanced serological and molecular testing, identifying D4 and D5 genotypes unrelated to the initial imported cases.
Impact:
- The outbreak underscored the importance of maintaining high vaccination coverage to prevent measles resurgence.
- It led to substantial improvements in measles surveillance performance, including the introduction of molecular testing.
- Recommendations include maintaining sensitive surveillance and attempting viral strain isolation to document elimination.
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