Measles and mumps outbreaks in the United States: Think globally, vaccinate locally

摘要

Measles and mumps outbreaks in the United States have claimed numerous headlines over the past six months. The 397 measles cases in the U.S. from January 1 to June 6, 2014 have surpassed the highest annual totals since the 2000 declaration of measles elimination in the U.S. [1]. Mumps outbreaks have made their marks across college campuses in Ohio and New York. What similarities have there been in the recent U.S. measles and mumps outbreaks? Both have highlighted the importance of imported infections to the U.S. among unvaccinated travelers. Both have illuminated “failure to vaccinate” cracks in MMR vaccine coverage in Western Europe and the U.S., which largely have their roots in the anti-vaccine movement and scientifically unfounded concerns about the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. Both have raised questions of vaccine failure.