Vaccine coverage and measles incidence in Northern Brazil

Abstract

Introduction: Measles is an immunopreventable viral disease, acute exanthematous and extremely transmissible. Infection occurs directly, from person to person, through respiratory secretions. The measles vaccine is low-cost and effective, but measles still affects around 40 million people worldwide and is responsible for at least 800,000 deaths, mainly in developing countries. Objective: To analyze vaccination coverage and measles incidence in Northern Brazil. Methods: This is an ecological study. Secondary data were used regarding vaccination coverage of the viral double, viral triple and viral tetra and incidence of measles in residents in the States of the Northern Region, Brazil, from 2010 to 2018. Results: Confirmed measles cases in 2010 to 2018 in the Northern region of Brazil it registered 10,249, were reported in Amazonas (95.65%), Roraima (3.53%), Pará (0.80%) and Rondônia (0.02%). Outbreaks of measles cases in the Northern Region were reported in 2018, the highest incidence rate was in Amazonas with 237.7. Vaccination coverage in the North Region varied between the lowest rate in 2013 with 56.88% and the highest vaccination coverage achieved in 2010, with 104.02%. Conclusion: It was possible to observe a reduction in vaccination coverage during the study period, not reaching the percentage recommended by the Ministry of Health and increasing the incidence of measles in the Northern Region of Brazil and these indicators are important to determine the strategies to be carried out by the National Program for Immunization and Epidemiological Surveillance.