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A descriptive profile and the immune status of some hospitalised patients with measles
1Department of Infectious Disease, Communicable Disease Centre, Singapore.
Abstract:
The incidence of measles in Singapore has declined with the introduction of measles vaccination in 1976. However, a progressive increase in notified measles cases has occurred since 1990. To characterise the current profile of hospitalised patients with measles, particularly their measles immunity status, we analysed 46 cases over a period of 3 months. The majority (69.6%) were school-going children (aged 5-19 years). Of the 25 patients (54.3%) classified as preventable by immunisation according to the current strategy, 68% were school-age persons. Five previously vaccinated patients had measles enzyme immunoassay immunoglobulin M and immunoglobulin G antibodies present. The occurrence of preventable cases among school-age children indicates that the implementation of the current immunisation programme should be improved.
Insights
Measles cases are increasing in Singapore, with many preventable cases found in school-aged children. This highlights a need to improve the measles vaccination program implementation for better public health outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Immunology
- Public Health
Background:
- Measles incidence declined after 1976 vaccination introduction in Singapore.
- A rise in notified measles cases has been observed since 1990.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize hospitalized measles patients in Singapore.
- To determine the measles immunity status of these patients.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 46 hospitalized measles cases over a 3-month period.
- Assessment of patient demographics and immunization history.
Main Results:
- The majority of cases (69.6%) were school-aged children (5-19 years).
- Of 25 cases preventable by immunization (54.3%), 68% were school-aged.
- Five previously vaccinated patients showed measles IgM and IgG antibodies.
Conclusions:
- Preventable measles cases are prevalent among school-aged children.
- Current measles vaccination program implementation requires improvement in Singapore.