Immunogenicity of measles-rubella vaccine administered under India’s Universal Immunization Programme in the context of measles rubella elimination goal: A longitudinal study

Background & objectives: There is a paucity of data regarding immunogenicity of recently introduced measles–rubella (MR) vaccine in Indian children, in which the first dose is administered below one year of age. This study was undertaken to assess the immunogenicity against rubella and measles 4-6 wk after one and two doses of MR vaccine administered under India’s Universal Immunization Programme (UIP). Methods: In this longitudinal study, 100 consecutive healthy infants (9-12 months) of either gender attending the immunization clinic of a tertiary care government hospital affiliated to a medical college of Delhi for the first dose of routine MR vaccination were enrolled. MR vaccine (0.5 ml, subcutaneous) was administered to the enrolled participants (1st dose at 9-12 months and 2nd dose at 15-24 months). On each follow up (4-6 wk post-vaccination), 2 ml of venous blood sample was collected to estimate the antibody titres against measles and rubella using quantitative ELISA kits. Seroprotection (>10 IU/ml for measles and >10 WHO U/ml for rubella) and antibody titres were evaluated after each dose. Results: The seroprotection rate against rubella was 97.5 and 100 per cent and against measles was 88.7 per cent and 100 per cent 4-6 wk after the first and second doses, respectively. The mean (standard deviation) titres against rubella and measles increased significantly (P<0.001) after the second dose in comparison to the levels after the first dose by about 100 per cent and 20 per cent, respectively. Interpretation & conclusions: MR vaccine administered below one year of age under the UIP resulted in seroprotection against rubella and measles in a large majority of children. Furthermore, its second dose resulted in seroprotection of all children. The current MR vaccination strategy of two doses, out of which the first is to be given to infants below one year of age, appears robust and justifiable among Indian children.

Epidemiological study to assess the status of measles vaccination in under five children and factors associated, in a peri-urban area, Asudgaon village, in Raigad district, Maharashtra, India

Background: Measles continues to be a major cause of childhood morbidity and mortality in India. Measles is considered one of the leading vaccine-preventable causes of child mortality worldwide. Major reasons for low vaccine coverage exist within the health care system itself, which creates barriers to obtaining immunization. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive, epidemiological study that aimed to examine the coverage of measles vaccination among under-five children of Asudgaon village. All under-five children residing in every 5th household of the village were included(n = 445). After obtaining consent from the mother, data was collected from her using a pre-designed and pre-tested questionnaire. The data was entered and analyzed in SPSS 23. Results: There was a total of 100 children eligible for the study. Overall, 41% of children were fully immunized against measles, 37% were partially immunized, 5% were immunized to date and 17% were not immunized. The most reasons for partial or non-immunization for measles were inadequate knowledge about immunization (19%), unawareness of days of vaccination(n = 14%), the child being ill at the time of vaccination, husband or mother-in-law against vaccination, fear of effects, and others. The Chi-square test indicates a significant association between mothers’ education and measles vaccination. Conclusion: Immunization status needs to be improved through education, increasing awareness, and counseling of parents regarding immunization and associated misconceptions as observed in the study.

Análise das Doenças Exantemáticas de Notificação Compulsória no Estado de Santa Catarina Entre 2009 e 2019 / Analysis of Exanthematous Diseases of Compulsory Notification in the State of Santa Catarina from 2009 to 2019

Introdução: Doenças exantemáticas (DE) são patologias infecciosas agudas, que têm como característica principal a manifestação dermatológica. Entre elas, sarampo e rubéola são de notificação compulsória. A permanência da circulação destes vírus no mundo tem causado surtos em diversas regiões, como em SC, embora sejam doenças evitáveis por meio da imunização. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo de delineamento ecológico, constituído de casos notificados por DE em SC no período de 2009 a 2019. Os dados foram coletados no Sistema Nacional de Agravos e Notificações (SINAN/DATASUS). Resultados: Foram notificados 190 casos de DE, 41,57% na faixa etária de 20 a 29 anos, 55,91% masculinos, 88,70% brancos e 2,15% gestantes. Houve confirmação laboratorial em 85,16%, e 72,72% foram causados pelo vírus sarampo selvagem. Exantema predominou em novembro em 46,77%, e febre em outubro, em 41,93%. Tosse esteve presente em 89,24%, coriza em 67,20% e conjuntivite em 50,53%. A macrorregião com maior média de cobertura vacinal foi a Grande Oeste, com 86,85%, e a menor, a Grande Florianópolis, com 72,07%. A maior incidência de sarampo ocorreu em 2019 no Nordeste e Planalto Norte com 11,34, e a de rubéola 0,13 no Grande Oeste no mesmo ano. Foi realizado bloqueio vacinal em 95,34% dos casos, e 64,28% foram autóctones. Conclusão: Observou-se que as DE acometem indistintamente ambos os sexos, etnias e idades, sendo a vacinação a forma mais eficaz de prevenir surtos. A reemergência ocorrida no estado foi consequência das baixas taxas de cobertura vacinal, apontando para a necessidade de melhorias nas ações de imunização.

Introduction: Exanthematous diseases (ED) are acute infectious pathologies that present mainly dermatological manifestations. Among them, measles and rubella demand compulsory notification. The continued circulation of these viruses has caused outbreaks in several regions, such as Santa Catarina, although they are preventable diseases through immunization. Methods: This is a study of ecological design consisting of cases notified of ED in SC from 2009 to 2019. Data collection from the National System of Diseases and Notifications (SINAN/DATASUS). Results: 190 cases of ED were notified, 41.57% in the age group 20 to 29 years, 55.91% male, 88.70% white, and 2.15% pregnant women. Laboratory confirmation occurred in 85.16%, and the wild measles virus was the cause in 72.72%. Exanthema predominated in November with 46.77% and fever in October with 41.93%. Cough was present in 89.24%, coryza in 67.20%, and conjunctivitis in 50.53%. The macro-region with the highest average vaccination coverage was the great west, 86.85%, and the lowest was greater Florianópolis, 72.07%. The highest incidence of measles occurred in 2019. Northeast and North Plateau scored 11.34, and rubella at 0.13 in the Great West in the same year. Vaccine block occurred in 95.34% of cases, and 64.28% were autochthonous. Conclusions: The study observed that EDs affect both sexes, ethnicities, and ages indistinctly, and vaccination is the most effective way to prevent outbreaks. The re-emergence that occurred in the state was a consequence of low rates of vaccination coverage, pointing to the need for improvements in immunization activities

Spatial Mapping of Measles-Rubella Campaign in a Rural Area near Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Immunization is animportant public health intervention.The Measles-Rubella (MR) campaign was launched during 2017in India for the elimination of measles.This study explored vaccination coverageandspatialmapping using QGIS and Google Earth Pro. WHO-EPI30 clusters sampling technique for evaluation of vaccination coverage was performed in villages within the rural area of a Medical College nearBengaluru.Seven children aged 2-15 years were surveyed per cluster, resulting in 210 children. Smartphones having GPS/Garmin GPS72H (handheld GPS receiver)were used for noting coordinates. Subsequently all these coordinates were plottedfor spatial mapping of vaccination coverage. The geospatial characteristics of the households surveyed were described using spatial mapping. Results indicate that 87.6% were immunized with MR Vaccine under the campaign, but 12.4% remained unimmunized, the reasons given being absence, ignorance, or refusal because of rumours concerning side-effects.The Measles-Rubella campaign coverage was found to be satisfactory. In addition the spatial mapping is a useful tool for measurement of coverage of a vaccination campaign. There was no clustering of unimmunized subjects observed on spatial mapping.

Measles-rubella vaccination campaign: Evaluation of coverage in rural area of Central India

Background: Measles-rubella (MR) vaccination campaign was launched in India in a phasic manner. Maharashtra has launched this in November 2018. Objectives: This study was conducted to evaluate the coverage of MR vaccine in children aged 9–15 years in a rural area of Mohgaon village. Materials and Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out in the households of the rural village of Mohgaon, with 250 families and 390 eligible children in the age group of 9 months–15 years. Data were collected by the house-to-house visit. Results: Vaccination coverage was found to be 96.41%. Most of the children were in the age group of 6–15 years (74.46%) with no gender bias. Among vaccinated children, 56.25% and 94.27% had thumb mark and vaccination cards, respectively. Less than 5% of the children had minor side effects. Conclusion: Vaccination coverage in a rural area was found to be 96.41%, which is similar to the coverage found other states in an earlier phase.

Desarrollo de anticuerpos y frecuencia de eventos temporalmente asociados a las vacunas contra el sarampión y rubéola en personal de salud universitario de Jalisco / Antibody development and frequency of events temporarily with measles and rubella vaccines among university health personnel in Jalisco

Objetivo: Evaluar el estado inmune y la seroconversión o respuesta anamnésica posterior a inmunización con vacuna de sarampión-rubéola (SR) y eventos temporalmente asociados, en personal de salud universitario. Materiales y métodos: Estudio prospectivo, longitudinal y comparativo de mayo a junio de 2000 en 120 adultos sanos de un Hospital de la Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara. Previo consentimiento informado se aplicó la vacuna SR de sarampión (Schwarz) y rubéola (RA 27/3). Se realizó seguimiento telefónico semanal para identificar eventos locales y sistémicos temporalmente asociados a la vacunación (30 días posteriores a su aplicación, no atribuibles a otro proceso mórbido). Se tomó suero antes y seis semanas después de la vacunación. Los anticuerpos (IgG) contra sarampión y rubéola fueron cuantificados por análisis inmunoenzimático (Enzygnost®, Dade Behring) con puntos de corte de > 300mUI/mL y > 8UI/mL, respectivamente. Análisis: media, desviación estándar (DS), Prueba t de Student pareada (significancia de P < 0.05). Resultados: Se logró seguimiento en 105/120 (87.5%) durante seis semanas. El 87.4% fue personal de salud y 44.6% varones. Rango de edad 17-71 años (mediana = 21). En la historia clínica hubo antecedente de posible sarampión en 57.1%. Se obtuvo suero pareado en 75 casos. La proporción de voluntarios con anticuerpos para sarampión y rubéola antes (90.7 y 94.7%) y después (100 y 100%) de la vacuna se incrementó de manera significativa (P < 0.001). Dolor, calor, rubor e induración en el sitio de inyección se presentó en 4/105 (~4%). Fiebre, exantema, artralgias y artritis en 9/105 (~9%). Conclusiones: La proporción de susceptibles a sarampión fue alta si tomamos en consideración la potencialidad de transmisión del virus de sarampión a la población que atenderían durante el período de contagiosidad (3-5 días). La respuesta de inmunidad postvacunal fue óptima. La vacunación en personal de salud debe ser prioritaria.

Objective: To evaluate the seroprevalence, seroconversion, anamnesic response and events temporally associated with immune status pre and post immunization with measles and rubella vaccine in health personnel from a public University in Guadalajara, Mexico. Material and methods: We carried out a prospective, longitudinal and comparative study from May to June 2000 among 120 healthy volunteers. Informed consent was obtained from all participants. We administered measles (Schwarz) and rubella (RA 27/3) vaccines. Weekly phone calls during six weeks were recorded from each volunteer to assess local and systemic events temporally associated with immunization non attributable to any other disease. Serum samples were obtained before and after vaccination in 75 volunteers. Antibodies against measles and rubella were measured by an enzyme immunoassay kit (Behring) with cut-off points of ³300mUI/mL and ³8UI/mL respectively. Statistical analysis included mean, standard deviation and paired Student's t-test (P < 0.05). Results: 105/120 participants (87.5%) were followed during 6 weeks. 87.4% were health personnel and 44.6% were males. The age range was 17-71 years (median = 21). We found a prior history of measles in 57.1%. Local events included pain, heat, redness and induration and were reported by 4/105. Systemic events such as fever, exanthema, pain in joints and arthritis was reported by 9/105. The proportion of study subjects with protective antibodies against measles and rubella prior to vaccination was 90.7 and 94.7% respectively. Both groups reached 100% after vaccination. Conclusions: The proportion of non-immune health personnel was low and similar to other reports. However, the potential spread of measles and rubella virus from a non-immunized infected health care provider could be amplified by the number of patients seen daily during the peak period of 3-5 days. The vaccination of health personnel should be encouraged.