THE CURRENT COURSE OF MEASLES AND THE FAILURE OF IMMUNOPROPHYLAXIS: A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE

Аннотация

Measles remains one of the most contagious human infections, with a basic reproduction number of approximately 12–18. Despite the availability of an effective vaccine for over 50 years, measles continues to cause significant morbidity and mortality, particularly in children. Before mass vaccination, measles caused approximately 2.6 million deaths worldwide each year. By 2018, immunization had reduced global measles mortality to approximately 140,000 cases per year, but recent years have seen an alarming increase in incidence and mortality. In 2022, approximately 9 million measles cases and 136,000 measles-related deaths will be reported worldwide. These outbreaks highlight the re-emergence of measles as a global threat, particularly given gaps in vaccination coverage and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic [1].