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Euro Surveill. Measles in Italy, July 2009 to September 2010
[Source: Eurosurveillance, full text: (LINK). Abstract, edited.]
Eurosurveillance, Volume 16, Issue 29, 21 July 2011
Surveillance and outbreak reports
Measles in Italy, July 2009 to September 2010
A Filia (
)<SUP>1</SUP>, A Tavilla<SUP>1</SUP>, A Bella<SUP>1</SUP>, F Magurano<SUP>2</SUP>, F Ansaldi<SUP>3</SUP>, M Chironna<SUP>4</SUP>, L Nicoletti<SUP>2</SUP>, G Pal?<SUP>5</SUP>, S Iannazzo<SUP>6</SUP>, S Declich<SUP>1</SUP>, M C Rota<SUP>1</SUP>
Citation style for this article: Filia A, Tavilla A, Bella A, Magurano F, Ansaldi F, Chironna M, Nicoletti L, Pal? G, Iannazzo S, Declich S, Rota MC. Measles in Italy, July 2009 to September 2010 . Euro Surveill. 2011;16(29):pii=19925. Available online: http://www.eurosurveillance.org/View...rticleId=19925
Date of submission: 14 March 2011 <HR>Outbreaks of measles continue to occur in Italy, as in other European countries. We present here details of cases reported through the Italian enhanced measles surveillance system from July 2009 to September 2010. In total, 2,151 cases were reported, 42% (n=895) of which were laboratory confirmed. The median age of cases was 18 years and 1,709 of 1,856 cases (92%) were unvaccinated. Many cases with complications were reported (n=305), including three with encephalitis. A total of 652 of 1,822 cases (36%) were hospitalised. Molecular characterisation revealed circulation of a limited number of measles virus genotypes (D4, D8 and B3), which is consistent with the current epidemiology of the disease in Italy. A national measles elimination plan was approved in 2003 with the aim of interrupting endemic measles transmission by 2007. Since elimination was not achieved, the target date was recently moved to 2015. The emphasis of the new elimination plan, approved in March 2011, is on strengthening surveillance, implementing evidence based-interventions to increase measles-mumps-rubella vaccine uptake in children, adolescents and young adults, and implementing communication activities related to the vaccine. The strategies proposed by the plan should be implemented fully and appropriately by all regions in order to meet the elimination goal by 2015.
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Eurosurveillance, Volume 16, Issue 29, 21 July 2011
Surveillance and outbreak reports
Measles in Italy, July 2009 to September 2010
A Filia (
- Infectious Diseases Epidemiology Unit, National Health Institute, Rome, Italy
- Viral Diseases and Attenuated Vaccines Unit, National Health Institute, Rome, Italy
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, Hygiene Section, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
- Regional Reference Centre for Infectious Diseases, Microbiology and Virology Unit, Padua University Hospital, Padua, Italy
- Infectious Diseases and International Prophylaxis Office, Ministry of Health, Rome, Italy
Citation style for this article: Filia A, Tavilla A, Bella A, Magurano F, Ansaldi F, Chironna M, Nicoletti L, Pal? G, Iannazzo S, Declich S, Rota MC. Measles in Italy, July 2009 to September 2010 . Euro Surveill. 2011;16(29):pii=19925. Available online: http://www.eurosurveillance.org/View...rticleId=19925
Date of submission: 14 March 2011 <HR>Outbreaks of measles continue to occur in Italy, as in other European countries. We present here details of cases reported through the Italian enhanced measles surveillance system from July 2009 to September 2010. In total, 2,151 cases were reported, 42% (n=895) of which were laboratory confirmed. The median age of cases was 18 years and 1,709 of 1,856 cases (92%) were unvaccinated. Many cases with complications were reported (n=305), including three with encephalitis. A total of 652 of 1,822 cases (36%) were hospitalised. Molecular characterisation revealed circulation of a limited number of measles virus genotypes (D4, D8 and B3), which is consistent with the current epidemiology of the disease in Italy. A national measles elimination plan was approved in 2003 with the aim of interrupting endemic measles transmission by 2007. Since elimination was not achieved, the target date was recently moved to 2015. The emphasis of the new elimination plan, approved in March 2011, is on strengthening surveillance, implementing evidence based-interventions to increase measles-mumps-rubella vaccine uptake in children, adolescents and young adults, and implementing communication activities related to the vaccine. The strategies proposed by the plan should be implemented fully and appropriately by all regions in order to meet the elimination goal by 2015.