3 (8), pp. 119-140, August, 2009 ... It accounts for 44% of total deaths due to vaccine preventable ... Measles remains a leading cause of death among young.
Journal of Cell and Animal Biology Vol. 3 (8), pp. 119-140, August, 2009 Available online at http://www.academicjournals.org/JCAB ISSN 1996-0867 © 2009 Academic Journals
Review
Global eradication of measles: A highly contagious and vaccine preventable disease-what went wrong in Africa? I. O. Okonko1*, A. O. Nkang1, A. O. Udeze2, A. O. Adedeji3, J. Ejembi4, B. A. Onoja1, A. A. Ogun5 and K. N. Garba1 1
Department of Virology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria, World Health Organization Collaborative Centre for Arbovirus Reference and Research, World Health Organization Regional Reference Polio Laboratory, World Health Organization National Reference Centre for Influenza. National HIV Reference Laboratory. 2 Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria. 3 Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. 4 Department of Clinical Microbiology, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria. 5 Department of Epidemiology, Medical Statistics and Environmental Health, Faculty of Public Health, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. Accepted 9 July, 2009
This review study reports on global eradication of measles: a highly contagious and vaccine preventable disease-what went wrong in its eradication in Africa. Measles is one of the most contagious human diseases which have continued to cause large outbreaks all over the world even in countries that have achieved high vaccination coverage with a single dose strategy. The disease can also lead to lifelong disabilities including brain damage, blindness, and deafness. These serious complications are rare in developed countries where measles vaccine is widely available, the highest mortality is however found in poor nations. The disease has remained the fifth leading cause of deaths among children less than five years of age, worldwide. It accounts for 44% of total deaths due to vaccine preventable diseases (VPD), among children less than 15 years, the highest mortality occurring in poor communities with malnutrition, overcrowding and low vaccination coverage. Indeed, measles transmission has been interrupted in several countries, reinforcing the view that measles eradication is technically feasible using existing vaccines and intervention strategies. However, measles still accounts for 10% of global mortality from all causes among children aged
