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| |  Measles Cases on Rise in US, Refusal to Vaccinate Cited ATLANTA -- August 21, 2008 -- More measles cases have been reported in the United States since January 1, 2008 than during the same period in any year since 1996, according to a report released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Between January 1 and July 31, 2008, a total of 131 cases were reported to the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD). At least 15 patients, including 4 children aged younger than 15 months, were hospitalised. No deaths have been reported. Of the 131 patients, 112 were unvaccinated or had unknown vaccination status. Among the 112 unvaccinated US residents with measles, 16 were younger than 12 months of age and too young for vaccination, and 1 had presumed evidence of measles immunity because the person was born before 1957. Of the 95 patients eligible for vaccination, 63 were unvaccinated because of their or their parents' philosophical or religious beliefs. Although immunisation coverage rates for measles vaccine remain high, sizeable measles outbreaks can occur in communities with a high number of unvaccinated persons. Increases in the proportion of the population declining vaccination for themselves or their children might lead to large-scale outbreaks in the United States. Currently, Israel and a number of countries in Europe are reporting sizeable measles outbreaks among populations refusing vaccination. "These cases resulted primarily from failure to vaccinate, many because of philosophical or religious belief," said Anne Schuchat, MD, NCIRD, Atlanta, Georgia. Reports include cases from Illinois (32 cases), New York (27), Washington (19), Arizona (14), California (14), Wisconsin (7), Michigan (4), Hawaii (5), Arkansas (2), and Georgia, Louisiana, Missouri, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington, DC (1 each). Nine of the importations were in US residents who had traveled abroad, and 8 were in foreign visitors. An additional 99 of the 131 cases had evidence of importation or were epidemiologically linked to importations. These import-related cases have largely occurred among school-aged children who are eligible for vaccination but whose parents have chosen not to vaccinate them. The source of 15 cases could not be determined. There were 55 cases of measles reported during 2006; 66 cases during 2005; 37 cases during 2004; 56 cases during 2003; and 44 cases during 2002.
SOURCE: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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