[Table of Contents]

Volume: 23S4 - May 1997

Canadian National Report on Immunization, 1996

12. Working Group on Measles Elimination

A major national initiative toward measles elimination was made in 1996 with the adoption of the two-dose measles vaccine schedule across most of the country and the completion of a number of mass catch-up campaigns. In moving toward measles elimination in Canada, it is important to ensure that high levels of measles immunity across the country are maintained, and that any outbreak is rapidly detected and controlled with enhanced surveillance. At that time, Canada will be able to anticipate when it can claim to have eliminated measles.

To this end, the Working Group on Measles Elimination in Canada (WGMEC) has been established. The mission of the working group is as follows:

• to develop the tools to determine where Canada stands with respect to measles elimination;
• to develop a national surveillance protocol; and
• to propose its implementation across the country.

The first meeting of WGMEC was held in Ottawa on 25 October 1996. The scope of the task was outlined, and discussion focused on documenting measles coverage and enhancing surveillance with particular emphasis on laboratory issues, outbreak control, and research priorities. WGMEC recommended that vaccine coverage be assessed through national survey data with the 2-year-old age group being a priority, and that efforts should also be made to collect data on a two-dose coverage for school-entry children. With respect to laboratory issues, it was recommended that a representative of the Technical Advisory Committee, which is the federal/provincial body supporting public-health laboratories across the country, should join the working group. In addition, it was recommended that LCDC put mechanisms in place for standard serologic confirmation of cases of measles and "rash" illnesses from across Canada as a high priority. Increased efforts should be made to obtain as many measles virus isolates as possible in order to better assess the origin of importations and potential circulation of wild measles virus.

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