MEASLES-MUMPS-RUBELLA VACCINE PRELIMINARY-RESULTS OF A MASS VACCINATION CAMPAIGN

Since 1989, in Piedmont region (Italy) a mass measles vaccination campaign was adopted. During last three years, the promotion of measles vaccine in all the regional Local Health Units has been successful. In addition to immunisation against measles for all children aged from 2 to 10 years, in one Local Health Unit (USSL 51 -Novara) a combined measles-mumps-rubella vaccine was recommended for children aged 12-24 months and for susceptible subjects at 11-12 years of age. In this area, during a period of 9 months, 1750 children have been vaccinated: 895 children (2-10 years old) with measles vaccine and 855 children with triple vaccine (586 at 12-24 months and 269 at 11-12 years). Initial results showed that the archived total immunological protection (vaccination + previous vaccination + previous disease) against measles is > 80%. The vaccination campaign has been an important step in health education for people and physicians and has shown the useful cooperation among university, hospital and medical structures of the Local Health Unit in Novara.