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Current: Measles Outbreak, a Global Situation

A special issue of Viruses (ISSN 1999-4915). This special issue belongs to the section "Human Virology and Viral Diseases".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 439

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
1. School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
2. Virology, Veterinary Sciences Division, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Belfast BT4 3SD, UK
Interests: pathogenic mechanisms of RNA viruses (morbilliviruses, respiratory syncytial virus, coronavirus); recombinant vaccine design; genetic markers of virus susceptibility and assessment in small/large animal models; paramyxoviruses; pathogenic mechanisms of measles virus; morbilliviruses; respiratory syncytial virus; coronavirus; vaccine design; vaccination
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Measles is one of the most infectious diseases known, with 1 individual able to infect up to 15 others. The virus can cause severe complications including pneumonia, ear infections, diarrhea, and post-measles encephalitis (brain inflammation), as well as rare but fatal complications such as subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) and inclusion body encephalitis. The disease is preventable due to a highly effective vaccine with 90-95 % coverage required to give herd immunity and the possibility of eventual elimination.  Measles outbreaks are currently happening in most regions of the world. The COVID-19 pandemic led to the suspension of immunization services and hence decline in vaccination rates as well as surveillance in critical areas. Vaccination programmes in war zones are now also severely impacted. Africa, Asia and some South American countries have the highest number of cases with incidence rising in many European countries and the USA. Measles was declared eliminated in the USA in 2000, but outbreaks continue due to unvaccinated international travellers bringing the disease into the country and in some areas, lower vaccine uptake. Similarly, most European countries have rising case numbers, particularly in Romania.  According to the World health organisation in 2023, there were an estimated 107 500 measles deaths globally. Overall, millions of children are left vulnerable to measles and approaches are necessary to regain progress and achieve regional measles elimination targets.

Prof. Dr. S. Louise Cosby
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • measles
  • vaccination
  • surveillance
  • complications
  • outbreaks

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

11 pages, 1019 KiB  
Article
Paediatric Measles in Romania: A Comparative Clinical and Epidemiological Analysis of the 2017–2019 and 2023–2024 Epidemic Waves at a Tertiary Care Centre in Bucharest
by Gheorghiță Jugulete, Mădălina Maria Merișescu, Bianca Borcos, Alexandra Nicoleta Totoianu and Anca Oana Dragomirescu
Viruses 2025, 17(6), 755; https://doi.org/10.3390/v17060755 - 26 May 2025
Viewed by 336
Abstract
Measles remains a major public health issue, particularly among paediatric populations who are unvaccinated or lack of maternal antibody transfer. Although the majority of cases manifest with moderate clinical forms, certain patient categories are at risk for severe disease progression. This study aims [...] Read more.
Measles remains a major public health issue, particularly among paediatric populations who are unvaccinated or lack of maternal antibody transfer. Although the majority of cases manifest with moderate clinical forms, certain patient categories are at risk for severe disease progression. This study aims to describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of paediatric measles cases hospitalized in the Paediatric Departments of the “Prof. Dr. Matei Balș” National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Bucharest, Romania during two distinct epidemic waves: 2017–2019 and 2023–2024. A retrospective analysis evaluated mortality rates, distribution by age and sex, as well as clinical disease patterns. The 2023–2024 measles epidemic was marked by a higher number of paediatric cases (3.114 vs. 1.068), a lower mortality rate (0.32% vs. 3.74%), a shift towards older age groups, and a greater frequency of complications—particularly gastrointestinal, haematological, and ophthalmological—compared to the 2017–2019 wave. The findings underscore the urgent need for strengthened vaccination programs and targeted public health interventions, particularly among vulnerable groups and patients at risk of developing severe forms of the disease. Owing to a sustained decline in measles vaccination coverage among the paediatric population, Romania has experienced two major measles outbreaks within the past decade, interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study draws attention to the increasing incidence of measles in older children, suggesting a cumulative effect of reduced immunization rates over time. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current: Measles Outbreak, a Global Situation)
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