Sustained outbreak of measles in New South Wales, 2012: risks for measles elimination in Australia
Objective: On 7 April 2012, a recently returned traveller from Thailand to Australia was confirmed to have measles. An outbreak of measles subsequently occurred in the state of New South Wales, prompting a sustained and coordinated response by public health authorities. The last confirmed case prese...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific
2014-01-01
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| Series: | Western Pacific Surveillance and Response |
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| Online Access: | http://ojs.wpro.who.int/ojs/index.php/wpsar/article/view/220/370 |
| _version_ | 1828961053520691200 |
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| author | Zeina Najjar Kirsty Hope Penelope Clark Oanh Nguyen Alexander Rosewell Stephen Conaty |
| author_facet | Zeina Najjar Kirsty Hope Penelope Clark Oanh Nguyen Alexander Rosewell Stephen Conaty |
| author_sort | Zeina Najjar |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective: On 7 April 2012, a recently returned traveller from Thailand to Australia was confirmed to have measles. An outbreak of measles subsequently occurred in the state of New South Wales, prompting a sustained and coordinated response by public health authorities. The last confirmed case presented on 29 November 2012. This report describes the outbreak and its characteristics.
Methods: Cases were investigated following Australian protocols, including case interviews and assessment of contacts for post-exposure prophylaxis.
Results: Of the 168 cases identified, most occurred in south-western and western Sydney (92.9%, n = 156). Notable features of this outbreak were the disproportionately high number of cases in the 10–19-year-old age group (29.2%, n = 49), the overrepresentation among people of Pacific Islander descent (21.4%, n = 36) and acquisition in health-care facilities (21.4%, n = 36). There were no reported cases of encephalitis and no deaths.
Discussion: This was the largest outbreak of measles in Australia since 1997. Its occurrence highlights the need to maintain vigilant surveillance systems for early detection and containment of measles cases and to maintain high population immunity to measles through routine childhood immunization. Vaccination campaigns targeting susceptible groups may also be necessary to sustain Australia’s measles elimination status. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T09:39:02Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-975d73850423440e960b717c8b4199df |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2094-7321 2094-7313 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T09:39:02Z |
| publishDate | 2014-01-01 |
| publisher | World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Western Pacific Surveillance and Response |
| spelling | doaj.art-975d73850423440e960b717c8b4199df2022-12-21T23:07:51ZengWorld Health Organization Regional Office for the Western PacificWestern Pacific Surveillance and Response2094-73212094-73132014-01-0151142010.5365/wpsar.2013.4.4.002Sustained outbreak of measles in New South Wales, 2012: risks for measles elimination in AustraliaZeina Najjar0Kirsty Hope1Penelope Clark2Oanh Nguyen3Alexander Rosewell4Stephen Conaty5South Western Sydney and Sydney Local Health Districts Public Health Unit, New South Wales, AustraliaSouth Western Sydney and Sydney Local Health Districts Public Health Unit, New South Wales, AustraliaWestern Sydney Local Health District Public Health Unit, New South Wales, AustraliaWestern Sydney Local Health District Public Health Unit, New South Wales, AustraliaCommunicable Diseases Branch, New South Wales Ministry of Health, North Sydney, AustraliaSouth Western Sydney and Sydney Local Health Districts Public Health Unit, New South Wales, AustraliaObjective: On 7 April 2012, a recently returned traveller from Thailand to Australia was confirmed to have measles. An outbreak of measles subsequently occurred in the state of New South Wales, prompting a sustained and coordinated response by public health authorities. The last confirmed case presented on 29 November 2012. This report describes the outbreak and its characteristics. Methods: Cases were investigated following Australian protocols, including case interviews and assessment of contacts for post-exposure prophylaxis. Results: Of the 168 cases identified, most occurred in south-western and western Sydney (92.9%, n = 156). Notable features of this outbreak were the disproportionately high number of cases in the 10–19-year-old age group (29.2%, n = 49), the overrepresentation among people of Pacific Islander descent (21.4%, n = 36) and acquisition in health-care facilities (21.4%, n = 36). There were no reported cases of encephalitis and no deaths. Discussion: This was the largest outbreak of measles in Australia since 1997. Its occurrence highlights the need to maintain vigilant surveillance systems for early detection and containment of measles cases and to maintain high population immunity to measles through routine childhood immunization. Vaccination campaigns targeting susceptible groups may also be necessary to sustain Australia’s measles elimination status.http://ojs.wpro.who.int/ojs/index.php/wpsar/article/view/220/370measles outbreakmeasles eliminationAustralia |
| spellingShingle | Zeina Najjar Kirsty Hope Penelope Clark Oanh Nguyen Alexander Rosewell Stephen Conaty Sustained outbreak of measles in New South Wales, 2012: risks for measles elimination in Australia Western Pacific Surveillance and Response measles outbreak measles elimination Australia |
| title | Sustained outbreak of measles in New South Wales, 2012: risks for measles elimination in Australia |
| title_full | Sustained outbreak of measles in New South Wales, 2012: risks for measles elimination in Australia |
| title_fullStr | Sustained outbreak of measles in New South Wales, 2012: risks for measles elimination in Australia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sustained outbreak of measles in New South Wales, 2012: risks for measles elimination in Australia |
| title_short | Sustained outbreak of measles in New South Wales, 2012: risks for measles elimination in Australia |
| title_sort | sustained outbreak of measles in new south wales 2012 risks for measles elimination in australia |
| topic | measles outbreak measles elimination Australia |
| url | http://ojs.wpro.who.int/ojs/index.php/wpsar/article/view/220/370 |
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