Measles cluster at a university in the United Kingdom

BMC Research Notes

Stuart C Clarke²  Iain Blair¹  Jane Maund¹  Jenny Gamblin¹ 

[1] Public Health England, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Health Protection Unit, Fareham, Hampshire, UK;Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK

关键词: Immunization;    Universities;    Disease outbreaks;    Measles;   

Others  :  1127191
DOI  :  10.1186/1756-0500-7-744

 received in 2014-09-22, accepted in 2014-10-13,  发布年份 2014

【 摘 要 】

Background

Measles remains an infection of public health importance. We describe a cluster of measles in a university setting between April and May 2007.

Case presentation

The outbreak took place over a period of six weeks and involved nine students, eight of whom lived in halls of residence. Due to the potential for significant spread in an institutional setting, a public health investigation was initiated to identify the source of the outbreak. Follow up of cases was undertaken proactively with the university and local general practitioners. Salivary fluid test kits and questionnaires were sent to suspected cases. Seven salivary test kits were returned, but only one questionnaire was returned. Four cases were confirmed as measles. Although seven students had been previously immunised, immunity was only demonstrated in three.

Conclusions

Public health investigations were hampered by the poor return rate of questionnaire and oral fluid sampling kits despite proactive follow up by public health staff, as well as the break for summer vacation. Nevertheless, our report highlights the public health effort in investigating such outbreaks and the importance of reinforcing immunisation to college and university students.

【 授权许可】

   
2014 Gamblin et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 参考文献 】

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