OBJECTIVE: Between February 2014 and September 2015 a large measles outbreak (5,084 cases) occurred in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FB&H). The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of routine measles vaccination in the FB&H. METHODS: We conducted an analysis of the resurgence period surveillance data and a retrospective cohort study involving primary school aged children in randomly selected schools. RESULTS: Measles cases occurred among all age groups, mostly among the unvaccinated. Among fully immunized, 2.1% contracted measles. Measles vaccine effectiveness was high. The study indicates that one dose reduced the risk for measles by 91.9% (95% CI: 81.4-96.4%), two doses reduced the risk by 97.3% (95% CI: 95.5-98.4%). No evidence of waning immunity was found. Our survey reveals that a significant number of children had no immunization status registered. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that the resurgence was likely caused by an accumulation of measles-susceptible children not being vaccinated. This vaccine effectiveness study does not support possible vaccination failure as a contributing factor.

Department of Epidemiology Institute of Public Health of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Sarajevo Bosnia and Herzegovina

Department of Epidemiology Institute of Public Health of Tuzla Canton Tuzla Bosnia and Herzegovina

Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology Health Care Centre Bugojno Bosnia and Herzegovina

Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology Health Care Centre Visoko Bosnia and Herzegovina

Citace poskytuje Crossref.org