Contact tracing of in-flight measles exposures: lessons from an outbreak investigation and case series, Australia, 2010
Objective: To describe a 2010 outbreak of nine cases of measles in Australia possibly linked to an index case who travelled on an international flight from South Africa while infectious.Methods: Three Australian state health departments, Victoria, Queensland and New South Wales, were responsible for...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific
2011-08-01
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| Series: | Western Pacific Surveillance and Response |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://ojs.wpro.who.int/ojs/index.php/wpsar/article/view/125/58 |
| _version_ | 1818668339713540096 |
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| author | Christine Selvey Thomas Tran Michael J. Lyon Jessica Rotty Nicolee V. Martin Marion E. Maloney Jan L. Humphreys Stephen B. Lambert Rodney J. Moran Steven D. Donohue Lucinda J. Franklin Frank H. Beard |
| author_facet | Christine Selvey Thomas Tran Michael J. Lyon Jessica Rotty Nicolee V. Martin Marion E. Maloney Jan L. Humphreys Stephen B. Lambert Rodney J. Moran Steven D. Donohue Lucinda J. Franklin Frank H. Beard |
| author_sort | Christine Selvey |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective: To describe a 2010 outbreak of nine cases of measles in Australia possibly linked to an index case who travelled on an international flight from South Africa while infectious.Methods: Three Australian state health departments, Victoria, Queensland and New South Wales, were responsible for the investigation and management of this outbreak, following Australian public health guidelines.Results: An outbreak of measles occurred in Australia after an infectious case arrived on a 12-hour flight from South Africa. Only one of four cases in the first generation exposed to the index case en route was sitting within the two rows recommended for contact tracing in Australian and other guidelines. The remaining four cases in subsequent generations, including two health care workers, were acquired in health care settings. Seven cases were young adults. Delays in diagnosis and notification hampered disease control and contact tracing efforts.Conclusion: Review of current contact tracing guidelines following in-flight exposure to an infectious measles case is required. Alternative strategies could include expanding routine contact tracing beyond the two rows on either side of the case’s row or expansion on a case-by-case basis depending on cabin layout and case and contact movements in flight. Releasing information about the incident by press release or providing generic information to everyone on the flight using e-mail or text messaging information obtained from the relevant airline, may also be worthy of consideration. Disease importation, inadequately vaccinated young adults and health care-related transmission remain challenges for measles control in an elimination era. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T06:34:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5f0ef6c8197e4c94b1233ec41dbd0854 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2094-7321 2094-7313 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T06:34:45Z |
| publishDate | 2011-08-01 |
| publisher | World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Western Pacific Surveillance and Response |
| spelling | doaj.art-5f0ef6c8197e4c94b1233ec41dbd08542022-12-21T22:00:03ZengWorld Health Organization Regional Office for the Western PacificWestern Pacific Surveillance and Response2094-73212094-73132011-08-0123253310.5365/wpsar.2011.2.2.010Contact tracing of in-flight measles exposures: lessons from an outbreak investigation and case series, Australia, 2010Christine SelveyThomas TranMichael J. LyonJessica RottyNicolee V. MartinMarion E. MaloneyJan L. HumphreysStephen B. LambertRodney J. MoranSteven D. DonohueLucinda J. FranklinFrank H. BeardObjective: To describe a 2010 outbreak of nine cases of measles in Australia possibly linked to an index case who travelled on an international flight from South Africa while infectious.Methods: Three Australian state health departments, Victoria, Queensland and New South Wales, were responsible for the investigation and management of this outbreak, following Australian public health guidelines.Results: An outbreak of measles occurred in Australia after an infectious case arrived on a 12-hour flight from South Africa. Only one of four cases in the first generation exposed to the index case en route was sitting within the two rows recommended for contact tracing in Australian and other guidelines. The remaining four cases in subsequent generations, including two health care workers, were acquired in health care settings. Seven cases were young adults. Delays in diagnosis and notification hampered disease control and contact tracing efforts.Conclusion: Review of current contact tracing guidelines following in-flight exposure to an infectious measles case is required. Alternative strategies could include expanding routine contact tracing beyond the two rows on either side of the case’s row or expansion on a case-by-case basis depending on cabin layout and case and contact movements in flight. Releasing information about the incident by press release or providing generic information to everyone on the flight using e-mail or text messaging information obtained from the relevant airline, may also be worthy of consideration. Disease importation, inadequately vaccinated young adults and health care-related transmission remain challenges for measles control in an elimination era.http://ojs.wpro.who.int/ojs/index.php/wpsar/article/view/125/58contact tracingin-flight measlesAustralia2010measles |
| spellingShingle | Christine Selvey Thomas Tran Michael J. Lyon Jessica Rotty Nicolee V. Martin Marion E. Maloney Jan L. Humphreys Stephen B. Lambert Rodney J. Moran Steven D. Donohue Lucinda J. Franklin Frank H. Beard Contact tracing of in-flight measles exposures: lessons from an outbreak investigation and case series, Australia, 2010 Western Pacific Surveillance and Response contact tracing in-flight measles Australia 2010 measles |
| title | Contact tracing of in-flight measles exposures: lessons from an outbreak investigation and case series, Australia, 2010 |
| title_full | Contact tracing of in-flight measles exposures: lessons from an outbreak investigation and case series, Australia, 2010 |
| title_fullStr | Contact tracing of in-flight measles exposures: lessons from an outbreak investigation and case series, Australia, 2010 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Contact tracing of in-flight measles exposures: lessons from an outbreak investigation and case series, Australia, 2010 |
| title_short | Contact tracing of in-flight measles exposures: lessons from an outbreak investigation and case series, Australia, 2010 |
| title_sort | contact tracing of in flight measles exposures lessons from an outbreak investigation and case series australia 2010 |
| topic | contact tracing in-flight measles Australia 2010 measles |
| url | http://ojs.wpro.who.int/ojs/index.php/wpsar/article/view/125/58 |
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