MEASLES IN IRAQ: IS IT UNDER CONTROL? | ||
| AL-TAQANI | ||
| Article 1, Volume 19, Issue 1, April 2006, Pages 71-75 | ||
| Authors | ||
| IS IT UNDER CONTROL; MEASLES IN IRAQ | ||
| Abstract | ||
| Aim of the study: To assess the success of control program of measles infection in Iraq through: 1. determining the frequency of measles in Iraq during the year 2001 and the status of vaccination of these patients 2. determining the epidemic picture of the disease in Iraq for the last thirteen years Patients and Methods:Data was obtained from the Communicable Disease Control Center (Ministry of Health). The data included number of cases of measles that were reported during the year 2001 from Iraqi provinces, and the number of cases registered during the years from 1989-2001. Data about the status of measles vaccination was obtained from the Immunization Section in the Ministry of Health. Results:There were 491 reported cases of measles in Iraq during 2001. The highest number of cases was in age groups 1-5 years and 6-10 years (33.2% and 27%) respectively, age group 11-15 years had a rate of infection of 19.4%. The rate of vaccination with measles vaccine among patients infected with measles was 53.5%. The coverage rate with the first dose of measles vaccine during the year 2001 in Iraq was 53%, and with the second dose 22%. Three epidemics of measles infection had taken place in Iraq during the period from 1989-2001. Conclusion:Measles infection is still poorly controlled in Iraq with a high number of cases every year as well as epidemics every few years. Poor control may be attributed to poor coverage rate with measles vaccine and insufficient immunity conferred to vaccine by one dose of the vaccine that they receive mostly | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Measles; immunity; Coverage | ||
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