An Outbreak of Measles among Unvacdnated Young Adults and Measles Seroprevalence Study: Implications for Measles Outbreak Control in Adult Populations

Hinman, Alan R.
Ehresmann, Kristen R.
Crouch, Nroman
Henry, Paula M.
Hunt, John M.
Habedank, Tonia L.
Bowman, Robert
Moore, Kristine A.

Section Editor
¹Acute Disease Epidemiology Section, Division of Disease Prevention and Control, Minneapolis.
²Public Health Laboratory Division, Minnesota Department of Health, Minneapolis.
³St. Paul—Ramsey County Department of Public Health, Minneapolis.

Reprints or correspondence: Ms. Kristen Ehresmann, Minnesota Department of Health, 717 Delaware St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414 ([email protected]).

^aPresent affiliations: Immunization, Tuberculosis, and International Health Section, Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Prevention, and Control Division, Minnesota Department of Health (K.R.E.); Consultant, Clinical Microbiology, St. Paul, Minnesota (J.M.H.); Associate Veterinarian, Minnehaha Animal Hospital, Minneapolis, Minnesota (Tonia Habedank Stephani, formerly T.L.H.); Center for Infectious Disease, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota (K.A.M.).

Presented in part: 30th National Immunization Conference, Washington, DC, April 1996; 31st National Immunization Conference, Detroit, May 1997.

Journal of Infectious Diseases 189:p S104-S107, May 1, 2004. | DOI: 10.1086/377714

Measles incidence has declined significantly in the United States since the 1989-1991 resurgence. Several conditions, including pockets of underimmunization, international importation, and the inability to rapidly detect and contain cases, represent potential threats to this success. During the 1995-1996 winter holiday season, the Minnesota Department of Health investigated an outbreak of measles among unvacdnated young adults affiliated with a religious community. A total of 26 outbreak-associated cases of measles were identified; most case patients (65%) were 20-29 years of age (range, 18 months to 35 years). Although case patients had multiple opportunities to expose the general public, no subsequent transmission was identified despite extensive surveillance efforts. A measles seroprevalence survey of 508 Minnesota blood donors aged 20-39 years was conducted; 91% had serological evidence of immunity to measles. Our findings illustrate that high levels of population immunity can prevent transmission of measles, despite multiple opportunities for exposure.