Published Date: 2001-05-17 23:50:00
Subject: PRO/EDR> Measles, suspected imported cases - El Salvador (02)
Archive Number: 20010517.0961

MEASLES, SUSPECTED IMPORTED CASES - EL SALVADOR (02)
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See Also

Measles, suspected imported cases - El Salvador 20010514.0932
Measles, imported cases - Mexico ex USA 20010504.0857
Measles, imported cases - Mexico ex USA (02) 20010505.0868
[1
Date: Wed 16 May 2001
From: ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>
Source: La Prensa (El Salvador), 16 May 2001 [trans. Mod. MPP [edited
<http://www.laprensa.com.sv/nacionales/nac56.asp>

Donation of Vaccine from Guatemala
----------------------------------
Yesterday the Guatemalan government sent the El Salvadoran Ministry of
Health 200 000 doses of measles vaccine. The director of the Childhood
Program from the Ministry of Health, Carlos Melendez, [stated that this
donation of vaccine will help to prevent spread of disease if El Salvador
is confronted with an epidemic. He added, "We are almost sure that we will
not have an epidemic, because we have taken immediate action in the case of
the 2 youths with the virus." An evaluation process [began on Monday to
determine whether other persons were infected with measles virus. Melendez
also stated that: "We are in an alert status for 15 days." [If no further
cases are observed during this period, the outbreak can be considered
contained.
[Byline: Nancie Alvarado
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[2
Date: Wed 16 May 2001
From: ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>
Source: La Nacion (Costa Rica), AP Report, 16 May 2001 [trans. Mod.MPP
[edited
<http://www.nacion.co.cr/ln_ee/2001/mayo/16/mundo9.html>

Alert Declared in Honduras
--------------------------
TEGUCIGALPA: The government [of Honduras established a preventive alert
status in response to [the occurrence of 2 cases of measles in El
Salvador. As a result a campaign will be conducted to vaccinate at least
100 000 children in Honduras. The Director of Population Risks of the
Department of Health stated that: "On Tuesday [15 May 2001 a system of
surveillance was implemented along the border of Honduras with El Salvador
to prevent the [potential spread of the disease."
******
[3
Date: Wed 16 May 2001
From: ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>
Source: La Tribuna (Honduras), 16 May 2001 [trans. Mod.MPP [edited
<http://www.latribunahon.com/2001/Mayo/16/nacion.htm#soc103>

Risk Groups and Students to be Vaccinated against Measles
---------------------------------------------------------
The Honduran health authorities have alerted the residents of border
regions with El Salvador, in particularly school children, to the need to
attend vaccination centers. The [national measles vaccination campaign
will be intensified [to obtain a coverage above 95 percent. [Priority will
be given to children in the 2- to 4-year-old age group, women between 12
and 49 years of age, and to [other at risk groups. [The latter will
include the entire population resident in the border region, health
workers, both hospital and outpatient service-based, maritime transport
workers, aircrew and ground staff, hotel and restaurant workers, and
members of the Armed Forces and Preventive Police. "[Measles is
preventable. An effective vaccine is accessible and is free, therefore
people should take advantage of the opportunity to protect themselves."
Since 1997 no cases of measles have been detected in Honduras. The last
[major outbreak was in 1989, with a total of 365 deaths and a total case
count above 15 000. Since 1991 a national plan for measles eradication has
been implemented. Vaccination facilities have been reinforced throughout
the country and the [vaccination histories of children below the age of 5,
who may have entered [the country without having [a documented history of
a booster dose [of measles vaccine are being reviewed.
--
ProMEDmail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[From these press reports it appears Central America is highly sensitive to
the possibility of introduction of measles virus and its consequences.
Readers are reminded of the concerns also expressed by their North American
neighbor, Mexico, as a consequence of an imported case of measles. The
mention of a 15-day alert period beginning this week reflects efforts to
cover an incubation period (the mean incubation to onset of rash is 14
days). The usual protocol to declare an outbreak over is to go 2 incubation
periods without new cases. Given the high degree of appropriate response
and concern in the region, one supposes that the dates of onset of the
original cases may have already completed one incubation period, and the
alert is now extended to the completion of a second incubation period.
However, one does question the press report of the recommendation to
vaccinate women in the fertile age group against measles, and wonders if
this was an error in reporting. As women in the fertile age group are the
target for tetanus toxoid immunization as part of the neonatal tetanus
elimination program activities (adequately vaccinating the mother produces
antitoxin levels sufficiently high for transplacental transmission and
ultimate prevention of disease in the neonate), it is highly likely that
the Honduran MOH is taking advantage of a vaccination campaign to include
all of the target vaccines and encourage the population to be up to date
with all vaccines. - Mod.MPP
............................mpp/cp/pg/es
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