Measles in Poland in 2012

Area of Science:

• Epidemiology
• Public Health
• Immunization Programs

Background:

• Poland adopted the WHO European Region's Measles Elimination Program in 1998.
• The program mandates high vaccine coverage (>95%), case reporting, and laboratory confirmation.
• The Laboratory of Department of Virology, NIPH-NIH serves as the WHO Reference Laboratory in Poland.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the 2012 measles epidemiological situation in Poland.
• To assess vaccination coverage within the Polish population.
• To determine the status of Measles Elimination Program implementation.

Main Methods:

• Descriptive analysis of mandatory surveillance data from 2012.
• Utilized annual bulletins on infectious diseases and vaccinations.
• Included measles case-based reports submitted to NIPH-NIH.

Main Results:

• 70 measles cases were registered in 2012 (0.18 per 100,000 incidence).
• Highest incidence was observed in infants and 1-year-olds; 52.9% of cases required hospitalization.
• Vaccination coverage varied (83.6%-99.6% for primary, 76.6%-96.7% for booster doses); surveillance system performance was insufficient (33% of expected reports).

Conclusions:

• The measles epidemiological situation worsened in 2012 compared to previous years.
• There is a need to enhance promotion of the Measles Elimination Program in Poland.
• Maintaining high immunization coverage and improving the measles surveillance system are essential.