A cost-effectiveness analysis of measles outbreak control strategies

This study compares the cost-effectiveness of six vaccination strategies during a measles outbreak: vaccination of all susceptibles 15 months of age or older and born after 1956 (the current routine strategy); lowering the recommended age at vaccination from 15 to 12 months (plus current routine strategy); lowering the recommended age at vaccination to six months (plus current routine strategy); revaccination of those vaccinated at 12-14 months of age (plus current routine strategy); vaccination of all students in school regardless of immune status; and vaccination of all residents 15 months to 28 years of age in the community regardless of immune status. The analysis is based on the hypothetical, early application of these strategies to a 1985 measles outbreak in Montana, which occurred despite appropriate application of current prevention and control recommendations. Although the results are applicable only to this particular outbreak, this analysis provides an approach which can be used in other settings to assess measles outbreak control strategies. Similar studies would need to be performed in a variety of settings to determine the most cost-effective measles outbreak control strategies overall.