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The data on mumps cases reported during 2006 in the U.S. was examined to assess whether the disease could be eliminated through the two-dose childhood-vaccination strategy. The two-dose vaccine was found to be a failure, particularly among the Midwestern college-age adults who had received the second dose as school children.

The Americas have set a goal of interrupting indigenous transmission of measles using a strategy developed by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). This strategy includes recommendations for vaccination activities to achieve and sustain high immunity in the population and is complemented by sensitive epidemiological surveillance systems developed to monitor illnesses characterized by febrile rash, and to provide effective virological and serological surveillance. A key component in ensuring the success of the programme has been a laboratory network comprising 22 national laboratories including reference centres. Commercially available indirect enzyme immunoassay kits (EIA) for immunoglobulin M (IgM)-class antibodies are currently being used throughout the region. However, because there are few or no true measles cases in the region, the positive predictive value of these diagnostic tests has decreased. False-positive results of IgM tests can also occur as a result of testing suspected measles cases with exanthemata caused by parvovirus B19, rubella and human herpesvirus 6, among others. In addition, as countries maintain high levels of vaccination activity and increased surveillance of rash and fever, the notification of febrile rash illness in recently vaccinated people can be anticipated. Thus, managers in the measles elimination programme must be prepared to address the interpretation of a positive result of a laboratory test for measles IgM when clinical and epidemiological data may indicate that the case is not measles. The interpretation of an IgM-positive test under different circumstances and the definition of a vaccine-related rash illness in a setting of greatly reduced, or absent, transmission of measles is discussed. Keywords Measles/diagnosis; Immunoglobulin M/immunology; Immunoglobulin G/analysis; Immunoenzyme techniques; Measles vaccine/adverse effects; Exanthema/etiology; Measles virus/isolation and purification; Pan American Health Organization; Americas (source: MESH, NLM). Mots cles Rougeole/diagnostic; Immunoglobuline M/immunologie; Immunoglobuline G/analyse; Methode immunoenzymatique; Vaccin antimorbilleux/effets indesirables; Exantheme/etiologie; Virus rougeole/isolement et purification; Organisation panamericaine de la Sante; Ameriques (source: MESH, INSERM). Palabras clave Sarampion/diagnostico; Inmunoglobulina M/inmunologia; Inmunoglobulina G/analisis;Tecnicas para inmunoenzima; Vacuna antisarampion/efectos adversos; Exantema/etiologia; Virus del sarampion/aislamiento y purificacion; Organizacion Panamericana de la Salud; Americas (fuente: DeCS, BIREME). [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII], Resume Confirmation au laboratoire des cas suspects de rougeole dans des contextes de faible transmission de la maladie : l'experience des Ameriques Les Ameriques se sont fixe pour objectif d'interrompre [...]

Surveillance of measles virus detected an epidemiologic link between a refugee from Kenya and a Dutch tourist in New Jersey, USA. Identical genotype B3 sequences from patients with contemporaneous cases [...]

Abstract Molecular epidemiological investigation of measles outbreaks can document the interruption of endemic measles transmission and is useful for establishing and clarifying epidemiological links between cases in geographically distinct clusters. To determine the distribution of measles virus genotypes in the prevaccine and postvaccine eras, a literature search of biomedical databases, measles surveillance websites and other electronic sources was conducted for English language reports of measles outbreaks or genetic characterization of measles virus isolates. Genotype assignments based on classification systems other than the currently accepted WHO nomenclature were reassigned using the current criteria. This review gives a comprehensive overview of the distribution of MV genotypes in the prevaccine and postvaccine eras and describes the geographically diverse distribution of some measles virus genotypes and the localized distributions of other genotypes.

From 1997 to 2001, sequence data from 55 clinical specimens were obtained from confirmed measles cases in the United States, representing 21 outbreaks and 34 sporadic cases. Sequence analysis indicated [...]