Measles in Saudi Arabia: from control to elimination

Abstract

This article describes the tremendous efforts made in the field of measles immunization in Saudi Arabia in the past 20 years, from the control phase to the elimination phase. Mandatory measles vaccination with one-dose Schwartz vaccine was introduced in 1982 by a royal decree, a step aimed at increasing vaccine coverage. In 1991, a two-dose schedule was implemented using Edmonston-Zagreb measles vaccine, with a first dose at 6 months to protect children younger than 9 months and a second dose of MMR at 12 months of age to protect those who did not respond to the first dose. A marked reduction in the epidemic peak and a shift of infection to older age were noticed. But the same data showed that 50% of measles cases in the 1- to 4-year age group occurred in vaccinated children. In 1998, with the start of elimination phase, an MMR campaign was launched in two phases, targeting school children in 1998 (secondary schools) and in 2000 (primary and intermediate schools). Evaluation of the MMR campaign and surveillance data was reflected in the measles immunization policy by shifting the age of measles immunization to 12 months and to preschool using the two-dose MMR schedule.

Secular trend and epidemiology of measles in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: 2009–2012

“…Reported immunization coverage for all EPI antigens increased from <50% in 1980 to 90% by 1993 and has been 95% since 2004. Vaccination services are provided at 2037 health centers throughout the country [7,8].…”

Post-Vaccination Immunity Against Measles in Under Twenty-Five-Year-Old Population of Ahvaz, Southwest of Iran

“…It is expected that after the mass campaign, the immunity level in the community reaches to 95%, as in Kuwait and Tunisia the immunity coverage of measles has been reported as high as 93%. In Saudi Arabia, after a mass campaign vaccination program in 2000, the immunity level has been reported 97% (9,10). Iran has achieved high population-based immunity to measles through high first-and second-dose routine measles vaccine coverage over the past decade in addition to a nationwide catch-up campaign in 2003 that targeted over 33 million people aging 5 -25 years which achieved higher than 95% immunity coverage (11,12).…”

Measles surveillance in Qatar, 2008: physicians’ knowledge and practices and support received

“…Measles surveillance is one of the main strategies to achieve the goal of measles elimination [3]. It aims to ensure that most suspected measles cases are identified, correctly diagnosed and investigated, and complete information on reported cases is available for public health action [4,5].…”