Vaccination coverage against measles and sero-epidemiology of measles-specific IgG antibodies in German children and adolescents
Background: Measles is a vaccine-preventable disease that could be eliminated by global vaccination strategies with two-dose measles vaccination. The World Health Organization (WHO) European Region aims at achieving measles elimination by 2015. Target control is mainly based on verification of 95 % vaccination coverage. In Germany, target verification cannot be based on data from centrally collected registers on vaccination and seroprevalence of measles-specific antibodies.
Objective: This paper provides an overview of measles vaccination coverage and the timeliness of measles vaccination in birth cohorts 1989-2008. In addition, factors associated with vaccination gaps are described.
Methods: Primary data on vaccination coverage (annual school entrance health examination) and on vaccination coverage and immune status (population-based German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents - KiGGS) and secondary data (insurance refund claim data) are described and discussed.
Conclusions: The measles immunization coverage (two doses) obtained in the 2010 school entrance examinations was 91.5 %. The range was 87.6-95.3 % between Federal States. Regional differences were even more pronounced between districts. The timeliness of the two-dose measles immunization increased from 41 % (birth cohorts 2001/2002) to 66 % (birth cohorts 2006/2008). Despite progress in recent years, measles vaccination coverage is still inadequate in adolescents, young adults, and young children. The German Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO) recommends a combined MMR vaccination of adults who were born after 1970 and who were not fully vaccinated against measles during childhood. Successful implementation of this recommendation is crucial just as it is important to step up efforts to improve the timeliness of measles vaccination in young children. Regional vaccination gaps and susceptible clusters defined by age or sociodemographic parameters are of particular importance to the epidemiology of measles disease. Knowledge of the factors associated with nonimmunization should be used to tailor vaccination strategies.