Measles epidemiology in China,2014

Objective To analyze the epidemiologic characteristics of measles and summarize progress towards measles elimination in China in 2014.Methods Descriptive epidemiologic analysis was conducted by using the case based measles surveillance data in China.Results A total of 52 628 measles cases were reported in China in 2014,including 28 deaths. The overall incidence was 3.88/lakh. The incidence in eastern area was highest(5.22/lakh), followed by that in western area(3.47/lakh) and in central area(2.96/lakh). The age specific incidence was highest among children aged 5 years(34.02/lakh), followed by that in age group 25-29 years(5.05/lakh), in age group 30-34 years(4.90/lakh), in age group 35-39 years(3.37/lakh), in age group 5-9 years(2.77/lakh), in age group 40-44 years(2.75/lakh) and in age group 20-24 years(2.61/lakh). Among all the cases reported in 2014,21.27% were aged 8 months, 22.66% were aged 8-23 months, 6.75% were aged 2-4 years, 6.54% were aged 5-19 years, and 42.78% were aged 20 years. In Tianjin, Shanghai, Beijing, Jiangsu, Inner Mongolia, Zhejiang, Liaoning, Ningxia, Heilongjiang, and Fujian, the cases aged 20 years accounted for50% and in Tibet, Sichuan, Shanxi, Hunan, Guizhou, Henan and Chongqing, the cases aged 8 months-19 years accounted for50%. Among the 11 928 cases aged 8-23 months, 70.86% were unvaccinated, and 48.51% of the cases aged 2-4 years were unvaccinated. In 2014,18 measles-related public health emergencies and 286 measles outbreaks involving 2 cases were reported.Conclusion The resurgence of measles since 2013 posed challenge for measles elimination. Measles epidemiologic characteristics varied among the provinces, especially the age distribution of measles cases. To achieve the goal of measles elimination, additional efforts are still needed, and different strategies targeting different age groups should be considered.