Epidemiologic profile of measles in Central African Republic: A nine year survey, 2007-2015.
<h4>Introduction</h4>Measles remains a major public health problem in many developing countries in which vaccination coverage is poor, as is the case in the Central African Republic (CAR). At the beginning of the 2000s, a surveillance system was established in the country, and samples fr...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2019-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0213735 |
| _version_ | 1798030109561585664 |
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| author | Alain Farra Tuspin Nicephore Loumandet Marilou Pagonendji Alexandre Manirakiza Casimir Manengu Raphaël Mbaïlao Severin Ndjapou Alain Lefaou Ionela Gouandjika-Vasilache |
| author_facet | Alain Farra Tuspin Nicephore Loumandet Marilou Pagonendji Alexandre Manirakiza Casimir Manengu Raphaël Mbaïlao Severin Ndjapou Alain Lefaou Ionela Gouandjika-Vasilache |
| author_sort | Alain Farra |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <h4>Introduction</h4>Measles remains a major public health problem in many developing countries in which vaccination coverage is poor, as is the case in the Central African Republic (CAR). At the beginning of the 2000s, a surveillance system was established in the country, and samples from suspected cases are regularly tested in the laboratory for serological confirmation. Since 2007, when case-by-case monitoring with standardized laboratory databases and monitoring, was set up, no assessment have been performed. Therfore, 9 years later it seemed appropriate to make a first assessment. The aim of the study reported here was to describe the epidemiology of measles in the CAR on the basis of surveillance and laboratory data.<h4>Method</h4>A descriptive retrospective study was conducted, based on the databases of the measles surveillance programme and of the Institut Pasteur laboratory in Bangui during the period 2007-2015.<h4>Results</h4>During this study period, the surveillance programme notified 3767 cases. Of these, 2795 (75%) were sent for laboratory confirmation, and 24.6% (687/2795) were confirmed serologically. Of the 1797 cases of measles declared during this period by the surveillance programme, 1110 (61.8%) were confirmed clinically or by epidemiological linkage. The majority of confirmed cases (83.7%; 575/687) occurred in children under 10 years, over half of whom (44.2%; 304/687) were aged 1-4 years. Epidemics occurred regularly between 2011 and 2015, with > 10% of laboratory-confirmed cases. The rate of laboratory investigation was < 80% between 2011 and 2013 but nearly 100% in the other years.<h4>Conclusion</h4>Measles remains a common, endemic illness in the CAR. Improved detection will require better measles surveillance, increased vaccination coverage, revision of the investigation forms to include the WHO case definition and training of the health personnel involved in case-finding in the field. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T19:34:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-27bcf0235baf4804a65f76d648458031 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T19:34:51Z |
| publishDate | 2019-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-27bcf0235baf4804a65f76d6484580312022-12-22T04:06:53ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032019-01-01143e021373510.1371/journal.pone.0213735Epidemiologic profile of measles in Central African Republic: A nine year survey, 2007-2015.Alain FarraTuspin Nicephore LoumandetMarilou PagonendjiAlexandre ManirakizaCasimir ManenguRaphaël MbaïlaoSeverin NdjapouAlain LefaouIonela Gouandjika-Vasilache<h4>Introduction</h4>Measles remains a major public health problem in many developing countries in which vaccination coverage is poor, as is the case in the Central African Republic (CAR). At the beginning of the 2000s, a surveillance system was established in the country, and samples from suspected cases are regularly tested in the laboratory for serological confirmation. Since 2007, when case-by-case monitoring with standardized laboratory databases and monitoring, was set up, no assessment have been performed. Therfore, 9 years later it seemed appropriate to make a first assessment. The aim of the study reported here was to describe the epidemiology of measles in the CAR on the basis of surveillance and laboratory data.<h4>Method</h4>A descriptive retrospective study was conducted, based on the databases of the measles surveillance programme and of the Institut Pasteur laboratory in Bangui during the period 2007-2015.<h4>Results</h4>During this study period, the surveillance programme notified 3767 cases. Of these, 2795 (75%) were sent for laboratory confirmation, and 24.6% (687/2795) were confirmed serologically. Of the 1797 cases of measles declared during this period by the surveillance programme, 1110 (61.8%) were confirmed clinically or by epidemiological linkage. The majority of confirmed cases (83.7%; 575/687) occurred in children under 10 years, over half of whom (44.2%; 304/687) were aged 1-4 years. Epidemics occurred regularly between 2011 and 2015, with > 10% of laboratory-confirmed cases. The rate of laboratory investigation was < 80% between 2011 and 2013 but nearly 100% in the other years.<h4>Conclusion</h4>Measles remains a common, endemic illness in the CAR. Improved detection will require better measles surveillance, increased vaccination coverage, revision of the investigation forms to include the WHO case definition and training of the health personnel involved in case-finding in the field.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0213735 |
| spellingShingle | Alain Farra Tuspin Nicephore Loumandet Marilou Pagonendji Alexandre Manirakiza Casimir Manengu Raphaël Mbaïlao Severin Ndjapou Alain Lefaou Ionela Gouandjika-Vasilache Epidemiologic profile of measles in Central African Republic: A nine year survey, 2007-2015. PLoS ONE |
| title | Epidemiologic profile of measles in Central African Republic: A nine year survey, 2007-2015. |
| title_full | Epidemiologic profile of measles in Central African Republic: A nine year survey, 2007-2015. |
| title_fullStr | Epidemiologic profile of measles in Central African Republic: A nine year survey, 2007-2015. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Epidemiologic profile of measles in Central African Republic: A nine year survey, 2007-2015. |
| title_short | Epidemiologic profile of measles in Central African Republic: A nine year survey, 2007-2015. |
| title_sort | epidemiologic profile of measles in central african republic a nine year survey 2007 2015 |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0213735 |
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