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. 2024 May;29(22):2400275.
doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2024.29.22.2400275.

Adapting response to a measles outbreak in a context of high vaccination and breakthrough cases: an example from Vaud, Switzerland, January to March 2024

Alessandro Cassini  1   2   3 , Ludovico Cobuccio  1   2   3 , Emmanouil Glampedakis  3 , Pascal Cherpillod  4   5   6 , Pierre Alex Crisinel  7 , Francisco-Javier Pérez-Rodríguez  4   5   6 , Monica Attinger  3 , Dominique Bachelin  3 , Marie Nahimana Tessemo  3 , Mirjam Maeusezahl  8 , Céline Gardiol  8 , Karim Boubaker  3
Affiliations

Adapting response to a measles outbreak in a context of high vaccination and breakthrough cases: an example from Vaud, Switzerland, January to March 2024

Alessandro Cassini et al. Euro Surveill. 2024 May.

Abstract

A measles outbreak with 51 cases occurred in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland, between January and March 2024. The outbreak was triggered by an imported case, and 37 (72.5%) subsequent cases were previously vaccinated individuals. Epidemiological investigations showed that vaccinated measles cases were symptomatic and infectious. In a highly vaccinated population, it is important to raise awareness among healthcare professionals to suspect and test for measles virus when an outbreak is declared, irrespective of the vaccination status of the patients.

Keywords: breakthrough infections; measles; outbreak; vaccination.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Timeline of a measles outbreak and immunisation status of cases, Canton of Vaud, Switzerland, January–March 2024 (n = 51)
Figure 2
Figure 2
Transmission chains between cases in a measles outbreak, Canton of Vaud, Switzerland, January–March 2024 (n = 51)a
Figure 3
Figure 3
Flowchart of management of a person (aged > 12 months) exposed to a case of measles in a measles outbreak, Canton of Vaud, Switzerland, January–March 2024
Figure 4
Figure 4
Illustration of cases in a highly vaccinated population
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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