Measles Outbreak - Minnesota April-May 2017

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Measles is a highly contagious viral illness that can cause serious complications.
• Low vaccination rates in a community can lead to outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases.
• Early detection and response are crucial for controlling infectious disease outbreaks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and describe a measles outbreak in Minnesota.
• To identify the genotype of the measles virus involved.
• To understand the impact of low vaccination coverage on disease spread.

Main Methods:

• Case investigation and confirmation using real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR).
• Genotyping of the measles virus.
• Public health surveillance and outbreak response activities.

Main Results:

• Three unvaccinated children were initially identified with measles, confirmed by rRT-PCR.
• Genotyping identified the measles virus as genotype B3.
• The outbreak spread rapidly within a community with low measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination coverage, resulting in 65 confirmed cases by May 31, 2017.

Conclusions:

• Low MMR vaccination coverage was a significant factor in the rapid spread of the measles outbreak.
• Effective public health collaboration is essential for outbreak investigation and control.
• Ongoing surveillance and vaccination efforts are necessary to prevent future outbreaks.