Measles: Ready for Eradication?
Authors: KENNETH H. RAND
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1979)

Editorials1 June 1979Measles: Ready for Eradication?KENNETH H. RAND, M.D., PETER D. REUMAN, M.D.KENNETH H. RAND, M.D.Search for more papers by this author, PETER D. REUMAN, M.D.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-90-6-978 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptIn October 1978, Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare Joseph A. Califano announced that the United States would seek "to eliminate indigenous measles from the nation by October 1, 1982" (1), that is, the only bona fide cases would be acquired outside the country, and secondary cases would be rare or nonexistent., Measles is the ideal type of virus for eradication through mass immunization programs: There is only one serotype, which does not vary from year to year; most, if not all, cases are clinically identifiable; there is no animal reservoir; and a safe, effective vaccine is already in hand....References1. : Goal to eliminate measles from the United States. Morbid Mortal Weekly Rep 27:391, 1978 Google Scholar2. ORENSTEINHALSEYHAYDENEDDINSCONRADWITTEMODLINPREBLUDNIEBURGHINMAN WNGDJ,JSPA: Current status of measles in the United States, 1973-1977. J Infect Dis 137:847-853, 1978 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. LINNEMAN C: Measles vaccine: immunity, reinfection and revaccination. Am J Epidemiol 97:365-371, 1973 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. BARKIN R: Measles mortality: a retrospective look at the vaccine era. Am J Epidemiol 102:341-349, 1975 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. O'DONOVANBARUA CK: Measles pneumonia. Am J Trop Med Hyg 22:73-77, 1973 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar6. : Measles—United States. Morbid Mortal Weekly Rep 26:109-111, 1977 Google Scholar7. RANDEMMONSMERIGAN KRT: Measles in adults. An unforeseen consequence of immunization? JAMA 236:1028-1031, 1976 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar8. MARKSHALPINORENSTEIN JTW: Measles vaccine efficacy in children previously vaccinated at 12 months of age. Pediatrics 62:955-960, 1978 MedlineGoogle Scholar9. PRIESTPETERSONFORFANG JDJ: Rubeola immunizations and the 1977 measles outbreak in Minnesota. Minn Med 61:309-313, 1978 MedlineGoogle Scholar10. BASSHALSTEADFISCHERPODGOREPEARLSCHYDLOWERWIEBECHING JSGJWMRF: Booster vaccination with further live attenuated measles vaccine. JAMA 235:31-34, 1976 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar11. : Measles prevention. Morbid Mortal Weekly Rep 27:427-430, 435-437, 1978 Google Scholar12. KRUGMAN S: Present status of measles and rubella immunization in the United States: a medical progress report. J Pediatr 90:1-12, 1977 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar13. RAUHSCHMIDT LR: Measles immunization with killed virus vaccine. Serum antibody titers and experience with exposure to measles epidemic. Am J Dis Child 109:232-237, 1965 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar14. FULGINITIELLERDOWNIEKEMPE VJAC: Altered reactivity to measles virus. Atypical measles in children previously immunized with inactivated measles virus vaccines. JAMA 202:1075-1080, 1967 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar15. PRESTON E: Atypical measles as a cause of measles outbreak. J Med Assoc Georgia 67:107-108, 1978 MedlineGoogle Scholar16. ST GEMEGEORGEBUSH JBB: Exaggerated natural measles following attenuated virus immunization. Pediatrics 57:148-150, 1976 MedlineGoogle Scholar17. EISENBERGCROWE MJ: Measles and rubella eradication in Alaska. JAMA 235:179-180, 1976 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar18. : Measles and school immunizations—Alaska. Morbid Mortal Weekly Rep 26:85-86, 1977 Google Scholar19. DITTMANNSTARKEOCKLITZGRAHNEISGIESECKE SGHHH: The measles eradication programme in the German Democratic Republic. Bull WHO 53:21-24, 1976 MedlineGoogle Scholar20. SCHREIER H: On the failure to eradicate measles. N Engl J Med 290:803-804, 1974 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar21. ALBRECHTENNISSALTZMANKRUGMAN PFES: Persistence of maternal antibody in infants beyond 12 months: mechanism of measles vaccine failure. J Pediatr 91:715-718, 1977 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: J. Hillis Miller Health Center University of Florida Gainesville, Florida PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics 1 June 1979Volume 90, Issue 6Page: 978-980KeywordsFellowshipsMeaslesVaccines Issue Published: 1 June 1979 PDF DownloadLoading ...