INTEGRATING MEASLES AND RUBELLA SURVEILLANCE: THE EXPERIENCE IN THE CARIBBEAN

Monday, 16th of June 2014 Print
[source]Journal of Infectious Diseases[|source]

In line with the measles and Rubella/CRS elimination strategic plan, integrating case-based surveillance systems for measles and rubella is a vital element. As the we tend towards measles and rubella elimination, we shall learn from the hard lessons learned and shared by Ciro A. de Quadros on this subject matter

In this report, Ciro A. de Quadros and his team at Division of Vaccines and Immunization, Pan American Health Organization, document the how of integrating measles and rubella surveillance systems. In addition, the paper documents the important lesson that integrated system for measles and rubella surveillance is crucial to the control of rubella and for the maintenance of measles elimination. More details are accessible at: http://www.jid.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=12721907

 

ABSTRACT

In 1988, the Ministers of Health in the Caribbean Community resolved to eliminate cases of indigenous measles. Specific performance indicators were developed to regularly monitor the program. In 1998, selected countries in the Caribbean elected to accelerate rubella control. As a first step, surveillance for both measles and rubella was integrated, using the measles eradication system as a template. Between 1995 and 2000, 98%–99% of the surveillance sites reported weekly. During that time, the number of suspected measles and rubella cases that were disqualified by laboratory testing remained relatively constant at 94%–99%; however, the indicator for suspected cases investigated within 48 h improved from 89% in 1996 to 95% in 2000. This integrated surveillance system has thus proven to be as effective and efficient as the measles surveillance system alone. Limited changes were made to the initial measles system, and the transition was relatively smooth. The integrated system has been crucial to the control of rubella and for the maintenance of measles elimination in the Caribbean.

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