J Korean Med Sci.  2023 Jan;38(3):e28. 10.3346/jkms.2023.38.e28.

A Measles Outbreak in a Local Children’s Hospital in Korea, 2019

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Chungnam National University Sejong Hospital, Sejong, Korea
  • 2Department of Pediatrics, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, Korea

Abstract

A measles outbreak with 20 confirmed cases occurred at a local children’s hospital in Daejeon from March 28 to April 21, 2019. The index patient was a 7-month-old girl with a recent history of travel to Vietnam. Contact tracing, active surveillance, and post-exposure prophylaxis were conducted by health authorities. Among the 20 patients, 11 (55%) were infants (0–11 months of age), three (15%) were aged 1–3 years, one (5%) was aged 4 years, and five (25%) were adults. Fifteen (75%) patients did not have a history of measles vaccination, and five (25%) had received only one vaccine dose. This study described the importance of prompt application of infection control measures in susceptible environments, including hospitals. Age-appropriate vaccination and providing information on infectious diseases to international travelers and multicultural families in Korea is vital.

Keyword

Measles; Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine; Disease Outbreaks; Hospitals; Pediatric; Republic of Korea

Figure

  • Fig. 1 Outbreak of measles in a local children’s hospital in Daejeon, Korea, 2019. Cases without rash (n = 2) are not included in this figure.

  • Fig. 2 Distribution of measles cases by age group and immunization history.


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