Measles among health care workers: a potential for nosocomial outbreaksArchived

Botelho-Nevers E, Cassir N, Minodier P, Laporte R, Gautret P, Badiaga S, Thiberville D, Ninove L, Charrel R, Brouqui P. Measles among health care workers: a potential for nosocomial outbreaks  Euro Surveill. 2011;16(2):pii=19764

In 2010, 122 cases of measles were managed in the three Teaching Public Hospitals of Marseille (PHM) and since April 2010, cases of measles appeared among HCWs of the PHM.

This article describes the 14 laboratory-confirmed measles cases that occurred among HCWs from April 2010 to November 2010. Mean age was 27.54 +/- 4.70 years (range 22-39) and nine were women. The approximate attack rate of measles was of 93 cases per 100,000 HCWs. During the same period, 108 cases of measles were diagnosed among patients treated in their institution. Six HCWs were unvaccinated and four had received only one dose of measles-containing vaccine in childhood. To their knowledge, no transmission from HCWs to patients occurred.

Also, in the context of this outbreak, the authors conducted a seroprevalence study on the immunity of measles and mumps of the HCWs working in three wards at high risk for transmission of communicable diseases. 154 out of 363 (42%) HCWs volunteered to participate. 144 (93%) and 136 (88%) had a positive IgG serology for measles and mumps respectively. The HCWs in the age groups of 19-24 and 25-29 years had a seroprevalence of 86.5% and 91.2% respectively, below the recommended 95%. The absence of immunity against measles (naturally acquired or through vaccination) was significantly associated with younger age groups.