Survey of delivery of prophylactic immunoglobulins following exposure to a measles case

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Infectious Diseases
• Immunology

Background:

• Measles outbreaks in France (23,000 cases, 10 deaths from 2008-2012) necessitate clear post-exposure protocols.
• French health authorities recommend human polyvalent immunoglobulins for unvaccinated individuals exposed to measles.

Observation:

• A postal survey of 368 French hospital pharmacies evaluated immunoglobulin deliveries between 2010 and 2011.
• 400 immunoglobulin deliveries were recorded, primarily for infants under one year old.

Findings:

• 84% of administrations occurred within the recommended six-day window post-exposure.
• Crucially, only 48% of treated contacts had laboratory confirmation at the time of immunoglobulin delivery, indicating a gap in protocol adherence.

Implications:

• This study is the first evaluation of the post-exposure immunoglobulin recommendation since 2005.
• Findings suggest a need to revise current measles post-exposure guidelines to improve efficacy and adherence.
• Strengthening laboratory confirmation procedures prior to immunoglobulin administration is recommended.