Published Date: 1999-03-18 23:50:00
Subject: PRO/EDR> Measles vaccination schedule - Congo Dem. Rep.: RFI
Archive Number: 19990318.0414

MEASLES VACCINATION SCHEDULE - CONGO DEM. REP.: REQUEST FOR INFO
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A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.healthnet.org/programs/promed.html>
Date: Wed 17 Mar 1999
From: Daniel Fountain <DANIELFOUNTAIN@compuserve.com>

Dr. Friedhelm Forster at the Vanga hospital in the DR Congo [ex-Zaire] has
sent me a
message about the rising number of cases of measles in newborn babies.
The regular vaccination program against measles has continued in the Vanga
Rural health Zone since 1983. The coverage has been nearly complete most
years except for a lapse in the mid 1990s dure to political and economic
turmoil. Friedhelm is now writing the following data:
Young babies under 6 months are having classical measles.
One newborn baby had measles.
Numerous adolescents are coming in with measles.
This gives indication that in the current generation of mothers are some
who may not have sufficient antibodies to pass on to their children. It
may be mothers who were unvaccinated themselves but escaped measles as a
child because of the almost complete disappearance of measles from this
area for 15+ years. Or it may be that the level of protective antibodies
in the mothers from their vaccination between the ages of 9 -15 months is
no longer sufficient to pass on protective antibodies to their babies.
What would you suggest? Would it be wise to:
- give a booster dose to all 5 year olds as they finish the preschoool
clinic?
- vaccinate all adolescents about the age of 15?
- or vaccinate all primipara mothers, or multiparas who were not vaccinated
as primiparas?
I am sure Dr. Forster would appreciate an early opinion. He states that
EPV [the children´s vaccination program] in Kinshasa is willing to do what
it can to supply vaccines.
Incidentally, the satellite HealthNet ground station at Vanga was affected
by a lightning strike on the main generator and has not been functioning
the last couple of months. Hence, Vanga is using the MAF net.
Thanks for your help, and very warm greetings.
Dan
--
Daniel Fountain
<DANIELFOUNTAIN@compuserve.com>
[Please send your replies direct to Dr Forster at:
Friedhelm <CT-Vanga@maf.org>
copy to promed-mail.
This must be a re-emerging problem in much of Africa, not only the Congo -
Mod.JW]
..................................jw
--
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