For each confirmed case, demographic data characteristics (including whether cases belonged to a Roma/Sinti community), vaccination history, date of onset of symptoms, and hospitalisation, were collected. Information was conveyed to the ASP, which discarded non confirmed cases from the database, eliminated redundant records, performed quality check and contacted the local health authorities for any missing information. To assess presence of indigenous transmission or sources of imported virus the data set was integrated with information provided by the National Institute of Health (Istituto Superiore di Sanità, ISS), which conducted viral molecular characterization from urine samples of measles cases, utilising the PCR technique [12] . Data analysis regarding the age distribution and immunization status of cases, as well as the percentage of cases requiring hospital admission was performed on the total number of cases reported in the two outbreaks.