Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topi...=257744&version=1&template_id=36&parent_id=16
Measles flare-up feared in Qatar
By Bonnie James
There is potential for outbreaks of measles in Qatar given the large number of unvaccinated children, especially expatriates, in the 1-14 years age group, a study has revealed.
As many as 82.9% of measles cases reported in 2007 to National Health Authority?s Department of Public Health had either not received the vaccine or did not know their vaccination status.
The study conducted by Dr Mohamed Ghaith al-Kuwari, Dr Zaher Nazzal, and Dr Abdulhameed al-Khenji from the Primary Health Care Department recommended that measles control and vaccination awareness should be continued and improved at all levels.
?Maintaining a high coverage of MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine?s second dose among the 1-14 years age group is critical to control measles in Qatar,? it was suggested.
Measles is a highly contagious respiratory infection that?s caused by a virus. It causes a total-body skin rash and flu-like symptoms, including a fever, cough, and runny nose.
In some cases, measles can lead to other complications, such as otitis media, croup, diarrhoea, pneumonia, and encephalitis (a serious brain infection).
Qatar has committed to the WHO-Eastern Mediterranean Region initiative to eliminate measles virus transmission by 2010 through strengthening routine infant immunisation and surveillance, and giving second opportunity for measles immunisation.
According to the WHO, measles remains a leading cause of death among young children, despite the availability of a safe and effective vaccine for the past 40 years.
An estimated 242,000 people, the majority of them children, died from measles in 2006, the latest year for which figures are available.
Almost all non-immune children contract this respiratory disease if exposed to the virus. Vaccination has had a major impact on measles deaths.
From 2000 to 2006, an estimated 478mn children aged nine months to 14 years received measles vaccine through supplementary immunisation activities in 46 out of the 47 priority countries with the highest burden of measles.
These accelerated activities have resulted in a significant reduction in estimated global measles deaths. Overall, global measles mortality decreased by 68% between 2000 and 2006. The largest gains occurred in Africa where measles cases and deaths fell by 91%.
?Qatar has achieved a significant reduction in the morbidity of mortality of measles since adopting the measles elimination programme in 1997, but has experienced recurrent, small-scale outbreaks in 2007 driving the incidence significantly above the 100 cases per million,? the study has pointed out.
The study was based on a retrospective review for all 362 measles cases reported in Qatar in 2007 and laboratory confirmed (114 or 34.3%), epidemiologically linked (13 or 3.6%) or clinically diagnosed (224 or 61.9%).
As many as 192 (53%) of the patients were males and 72.4% of the total cases were expatriates with Pakistanis accounting for 143 cases (39.5%), Qataris for 100 cases (26.7%), Indians for 30 cases (8.3%) and others for 68 cases (18.8%).
The largest proportion, 34.3%, of measles cases was in 5-14 years age group, followed by 1-4 years age group (33.4%) together accounting for 67.7% of the cases spread over the 1-14 years age group.
The peak of the outbreaks happened during May and June, accounting for 207 cases (57.2%).
?The large proportion of unknown immunisation status among cases points out the importance of improving the quality of vaccination registry,? the study stated.
Measles flare-up feared in Qatar
By Bonnie James
There is potential for outbreaks of measles in Qatar given the large number of unvaccinated children, especially expatriates, in the 1-14 years age group, a study has revealed.
As many as 82.9% of measles cases reported in 2007 to National Health Authority?s Department of Public Health had either not received the vaccine or did not know their vaccination status.
The study conducted by Dr Mohamed Ghaith al-Kuwari, Dr Zaher Nazzal, and Dr Abdulhameed al-Khenji from the Primary Health Care Department recommended that measles control and vaccination awareness should be continued and improved at all levels.
?Maintaining a high coverage of MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine?s second dose among the 1-14 years age group is critical to control measles in Qatar,? it was suggested.
Measles is a highly contagious respiratory infection that?s caused by a virus. It causes a total-body skin rash and flu-like symptoms, including a fever, cough, and runny nose.
In some cases, measles can lead to other complications, such as otitis media, croup, diarrhoea, pneumonia, and encephalitis (a serious brain infection).
Qatar has committed to the WHO-Eastern Mediterranean Region initiative to eliminate measles virus transmission by 2010 through strengthening routine infant immunisation and surveillance, and giving second opportunity for measles immunisation.
According to the WHO, measles remains a leading cause of death among young children, despite the availability of a safe and effective vaccine for the past 40 years.
An estimated 242,000 people, the majority of them children, died from measles in 2006, the latest year for which figures are available.
Almost all non-immune children contract this respiratory disease if exposed to the virus. Vaccination has had a major impact on measles deaths.
From 2000 to 2006, an estimated 478mn children aged nine months to 14 years received measles vaccine through supplementary immunisation activities in 46 out of the 47 priority countries with the highest burden of measles.
These accelerated activities have resulted in a significant reduction in estimated global measles deaths. Overall, global measles mortality decreased by 68% between 2000 and 2006. The largest gains occurred in Africa where measles cases and deaths fell by 91%.
?Qatar has achieved a significant reduction in the morbidity of mortality of measles since adopting the measles elimination programme in 1997, but has experienced recurrent, small-scale outbreaks in 2007 driving the incidence significantly above the 100 cases per million,? the study has pointed out.
The study was based on a retrospective review for all 362 measles cases reported in Qatar in 2007 and laboratory confirmed (114 or 34.3%), epidemiologically linked (13 or 3.6%) or clinically diagnosed (224 or 61.9%).
As many as 192 (53%) of the patients were males and 72.4% of the total cases were expatriates with Pakistanis accounting for 143 cases (39.5%), Qataris for 100 cases (26.7%), Indians for 30 cases (8.3%) and others for 68 cases (18.8%).
The largest proportion, 34.3%, of measles cases was in 5-14 years age group, followed by 1-4 years age group (33.4%) together accounting for 67.7% of the cases spread over the 1-14 years age group.
The peak of the outbreaks happened during May and June, accounting for 207 cases (57.2%).
?The large proportion of unknown immunisation status among cases points out the importance of improving the quality of vaccination registry,? the study stated.