Epidemiological Alert, Measles outbreaks and implications for the Americas (9 February 2015)

Epidemiological Alert, Measles outbreaks and implications for the Americas (9 February 2015)

Cite

Epidemiological Alert, Measles outbreaks and implications for the Americas (9 February 2015). (2015). [Journal articles]. PAHO. https://iris.paho.org/handle/10665.2/50698

Files

EpiUpdate9February2015_eng.pdf (273.72 KB)

English; 6 pages

EpiUpdate9February2015_spa.pdf (279.62 KB)

Español; 8 páginas

Date

2015

Authors

Pan American Health Organization

Description

The Region of the Americas’ impressive achievement in interrupting endemic measles transmission in 2002 is facing major challenges, with several ongoing importations in some countries. The total count across the Americas of imported cases from 2003 to 2014 reached 5,077 cases, most of which have occurred in 2011 (n=1,369) and 2014 (n=1,848). In 2015, a total of 147 cases have been reported as of epidemiological week (EW) 5 of 2015 (ending on 7 February), most of which are related to a large multi-state outbreak in the United States.

El logro de la interrupción de la transmisión endémica del sarampión alcanzado en el año 2002 en la Región de las Américas, se enfrenta actualmente a grandes desafíos debido a las varias y continuas importaciones de casos de sarampión que se registra en algunos países. Entre el 2003 al 2014, el número total de casos importados registrados alcanzó 5.077 casos. La mayoría de ellos se registraron en el año 2011 (n=1.369) y en 2014 (n=1.848). Hasta la semana epidemiológica 5 (SE) del 2015 (que finalizó el 7 de febrero de 2015), se han registrado un total de 147 casos, la mayor parte relacionados con el brote en los Estados Unidos.

Related items

Showing items related by metadata.

Epidemiological Alert, Measles (2 September 2010)
(PAHO, 2010) Pan American Health Organization
In 2002, endemic transmission of measles was interrupted in the Americas, and in 2009, interruption of rubella’s endemic transmission was achieved. Since 2003, historically low numbers of measles cases – both imported and imported-related – have been registered: 119 in 2008, 108 in 2004, 85 in 2005, 237 in 2006, 167 in 2007, 207 in 2008, and 81 in 2009. In the 2008-2009 period, 199 secondary cases were registered as a result of a total of 69 importations, while the source for 24 cases were unknown. The notified measles cases reported in the Americas have been isolated or sporadic, and the outbreaks have resulted in limited secondary cases due to importation.
Epidemiological Alert, Measles outbreak in Europe: implications for the Americas (4 May 2017)
(PAHO, 2017) Pan American Health Organization
During 2016, 93 confirmed cases of measles were reported in three countries of the Region of the Americas, reaching the lowest incidence rate in the history of the Americas (0.093 / 1,000,000 population). However, in that same year, there was a significant decrease in the reporting rate of suspected cases, reaching its lowest point with 1.9 per 100,000 population. Maintaining high reporting rates for suspected cases of measles and rubella will allow timely detection of imported cases.
Epidemiological Alert: Rubella (21 June 2019)
(PAHO, 2019) Pan American Health Organization
During 2009, in the Region of the Americas, the last endemic rubella cases were reported in Argentina and Brazil . In the same year, Canada and the United States reported imported and import-related cases of rubella. Between 2010 and 2019, 84 confirmed cases of rubella have been reported in eight countries of the Region of the Americas, and 16 cases of congenital rubella syndrome have been reported in the same period, three in Canada (one in 2011, one in 2015 and one in 2018) and 13 in the United States of America (three in 2012; three between 2013 and 2015, one each year; two in 2016 and 5 in 2017). All cases were imported or import-related. In 2015, the Region of the Americas was the first Region of the World Health Organization (WHO) to be declared free of the endemic transmission of rubella virus by the International Expert Committee (IEC) for Documenting and Verifying Measles, Rubella and the Congenital Rubella Syndrome in the Americas. Nevertheless, maintaining the Region free of rubella is an ongoing challenge due to the permanent risk of importation and reintroduction of the virus.
Epidemiological Update, Outbreaks of Avian Influenza due to reassortant viruses, public health implications for the Americas (21 April 2015)
(PAHO, 2015) Pan American Health Organization
Since December 2014, agricultural authorities in Canada and United States of America have detected outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI)1 in wild and domestic birds due to new reassortants of H5 influenza viruses, with the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE, per the French acronym) being notified accordingly. These are the first outbreaks due to HPAI H5 influenza reassortants of Eurasian origin registered in North America.
Diphtheria in the Dominican Republic: reduction of cases following a large outbreak
(2015) Garib, Zacarías; Danovaro-Holliday, M. Carolina; Tavarez, Yira; Leal, Irene; Pedreira, Cristina
Objective. To describe the most recent outbreak of diphtheria in the Dominican Republic and the disease’s occurrence and vaccination coverage in 2004–2013. Methods. Clinical data of diphtheria cases that occurred in 2004 and that met the study’s case definition were reviewed along with socioeconomic and epidemiological information from the cases’ families. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to assess risk factors for fatal diphtheria. Routine surveillance and vaccination coverage data are presented. Results. From January 2004–April 2005, a total of 145 diphtheria cases were reported; 80 (66%) of the 122 cases reported in 2004 met the case definition; 26 were fatal (case–fatality rate: 32.5%). Incidence was highest in the group 1–4 years of age at 5.3 per 100 000; 62.5% were male. Of the 80 cases, 61 (76%) where hospitalized in Hospital A, 17 in Hospital B, and 2 in two other hospitals. Earlier onset (first half of 2004), birth order, and tracheotomy were associated with fatal diphtheria (P < 0.05); cases in Hospital A were also more likely to be fatal (P = 0.066). The average annual diphtheria incidence was 4.91 cases/1 million people in 2000–2003, climbed to 8.8 cases per million in 2004–2005, and dropped to 0.38 in 2006–2014; no diphtheria cases have been reported since 2011. DTP3 vaccination coverage ranged from 72%–81% in 2000–2004 and from 81%–89% in 2005–2013. Conclusions. The 2004–2005 diphtheria outbreak in the Dominican Republic resulted in important and avoidable morbidity and mortality. Annual cases declined and no cases have been reported in recent years. Maintaining high vaccination coverage and diligent surveillance are crucial to preventing diphtheria outbreaks and controlling the disease.