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May 14, 2003

INTERNATIONAL IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"Alert Over 60 Percent Rise in Measles"

London Daily Telegraph (www.dailytelegraph.com) (05/12/03) P. 4; Peterkin, Tom

The number of measles cases in Scotland increased 60 percent between 2001 and 2002, rising from 256 cases to 405, leading to concerns that the country could be facing a measles epidemic.  The increase is due in part to fears on the part of some parents that the combination measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine could cause autism in children.  The MMR coverage rate in Scotland is 86.6 percent, which is lower than the 95 percent needed for herd immunity.  Scottish health officials also noted that notifications of rubella increased from 234 cases to 371 between 2001 and 2002, while cases of mumps soared from 155 cases to 250.

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