OUTBREAK OF MEASLES IN A TEENAGE SCHOOL POPULATION - THE NEED TO IMMUNIZE SUSCEPTIBLE ADOLESCENTS

An outbreak of measles occurred in a community school and the surround ing area in Crowborough, East Sussex, UK, from December 1992 to Februa ry 1993. There were 96 suspected cases reported: 66 cases among 1673 s tudents at one school and 30 community cases. The majority of suspecte d cases were in those aged 11-17 (78%), 2 cases occurred in infants < 1 year old and 8 cases in adults aged 18 years or over. Data collected on 60 (91%) of the 66 suspect school cases showed 56 (93%) had an ill ness which met a case definition of measles. Eighteen had confirmatory IgM measles antibody. Two cases were hospitalized. The local percenta ge uptake for measles immunization for the school age years affected v aried between 64% and 84%. A survey of parents showed that approximate ly 74% of the students attending the school had a history of measles i mmunization. The immunization rates reported by parents for children w ho developed measles was 21%, (29% based on GP records) compared with 77% for those who remained well. Vaccine efficacy was estimated to be 92%. This outbreak, along with others recently reported in older unimm unized children in the UK, reinforces the need for catch-up immunizati on programmes to reach this susceptible group of adolescents.