Outbreak of measles among persons with secondary vaccine failure, China, 2018

Abstract

Although the incidence of measles has been dramatically reduced by the highly effective measles vaccine, cases of measles and outbreaks continue to occur in vaccinated population because of immunization failure. We report on an outbreak in which two cases had previous evidence of measles immunity and then one of them transmitted measles infection to an unvaccinated contact. The cases and contacts exposed during the outbreak were investigated. Clinical information and epidemiological information were obtained. Serum samples were collected for measles-specific immunoglobulin M (IgM), immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgG avidity. Throat swabs were obtained to test for measles virus RNA. Two measles cases (case 1 and case 2) who have received one dose of MCV in past 5 years, and both working at a hospital in Beijing, occurred in 18th and 20nd of January, respectively. Out of the 102 contacts, one additional case (case 3) who had a close, long-term co-exposure with case 1 was reported subsequently. No additional cases of measles occurred among 15 contacts of case 3. The index case was not ascertained through the outbreak review. All three cases had laboratory confirmation of measles infection. Both case 1 and case 2 had high-avidity IgG antibody characteristic of a secondary immune response and developed a modified clinical presentation. This report confirms that a vaccinated individual with documented secondary vaccine failure (SVF) could transmit measles and is the second report since a New York City outbreak (the first report in China). The outbreak represented a series of rare events, so we can conclude that the SVF individuals in the transmission chain of measles are unlikely to threaten measles elimination. The importance of the herd immunity in preventing transmission and sensitive surveillance activities in case of misdiagnosis is emphasized.

Keywords

• measles
• outbreak
• vaccine failure
• secondary immunization failure