Infect Chemother.  2021 Sep;53(3):405-420. 10.3947/ic.2021.0084.

Report of the Korean Society of Infectious Diseases Roundtable Discussion on Responses to the Measles Outbreaks in Korea in 2019

Affiliations
  • 1Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
  • 2Department of Pediatrics, Hallym University College of Medicine, Chuncheon, Korea
  • 3Department of Infectious Diseases, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
  • 4Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Sahmyook Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
  • 5Department of Pediatrics, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea
  • 6Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Seoul Hospital, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
  • 7Department of Pediatrics, Eulji University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Korea
  • 8Department of Internal Medicine, Kyung Hee University Hospital, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
  • 9Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Kyungpook National University, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Daegu, Korea
  • 10Global Studies Institute, University of Geneva, Geneva, Swiss
  • 11Department of Internal Medicine, Chungbuk National University College of Medicine, Cheongju, Korea
  • 12Gyeonggi Infectious Disease Control Center, Suwon, Korea
  • 13Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, National Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
  • 14Department of Infectious Diseases, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea
  • 15Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Seoul National University Children's Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
  • 16Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Ewha Womans University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
  • 17Institut Pasteur Korea, Seongnam, Korea

Abstract

During the 2019 domestic measles outbreak in Korea, measles occurred in healthcare workers with two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, and the strict application of the Occupational Safety and Health Act required medical institutions to identify healthcare workers' immunity to measles and vaccinate the susceptible pockets. In response to the frontline medical institutions' request to review the measles recommendations and guidelines, the Korean Society of Infectious Diseases held a roundtable discussion on the causes of measles outbreak, timing of vaccinations, antibody tests, and booster vaccinations for healthcare workers, and financial support from the government and municipality as well as response strategies against the outbreak in healthcare settings. In Korea, the seroprevalence of measles is decreasing in the vaccine-induced immunity group during the maintenance of measles elimination over several years. The susceptible group against measles is in their 20s and 30s, and this may be because of waning immunity rather than nonresponse considering Korea's vaccine policy. The risk of measles nosocomial infection from community increases as these susceptible pockets actively engage in medical institutions. Thus, data on the immunity of low seroprevalence group in Korea are needed, further discussion is needed on the booster vaccination based on the data. Especially, antibody testing and vaccination in healthcare workers may be necessary to prevent the spread of measles in medical insutitutions, and further discussion is needed regarding specific testing methods, and the timing and frequency of test and vaccination.

Keyword

Measles; Disease outbreaks; Prevention and control; Measles-mumps-rubella; vaccine; Vaccines
Full Text Links
  • IC
Actions
Cited
CITED
export Copy
Close
Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
Similar articles
Copyright © 2024 by Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors. All rights reserved.     E-mail: koreamed@kamje.or.kr