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- Title
Identical Genotype B3 Sequences from Measles Patients in 4 Countries, 2005.
- Authors
Rota, Jennifer; Lowe, Luis; Rota, Paul; Bellini, William; Redd, Susan; Dayan, Gustavo; Van Binnendijk, Rob; Hahné, Susan; Tipples, Graham; Macey, Jeannette; Espinoza, Rita; Posey, Drew; Plummer, Andrew; Bateman, John; Gudiño, José; Cruz-Ramirez, Edith; Lopez-Martinez, Irma; Anaya-Lopez, Luis; Akwar, Teneg Holy; Giffin, Scott
- Abstract
Surveillance of measles virus detected an epidemiologic link between a refugee from Kenya and a Dutch tourist in New Jersey, USA. Identical genotype B3 sequences from patients with contemporaneous cases in the United States, Canada, and Mexico in November and December 2005 indicate that Kenya was likely to have been the common source of virus. Identification of measles virus genotypes is a valuable tool for epidemiologic investigations and evaluation of control activities in countries that have eliminated indigenous measles. Many of the 23 recognized genotypes of measles are associated with countries or regions with endemic measles (1). Measles genotypes in clade B (genotypes B1, B2, B3) are associated with endemic circulation of measles in various countries in sub-Saharan Africa (2). The prototype clade B viruses were isolated in 1983 in Cameroon (B1) and in 1984 in Gabon (B2). Hanses et al. (3) proposed a new genotype, B3, after characterization of several viruses collected in 1997 and 1998 in Ghana and Nigeria. Sequencing studies of additional viruses from Africa demonstrated that the proposed subdivision of the B3 viruses into subgroups B3.1 and B3.2 was epidemiologically useful for describing 2 distinct clusters of contemporary B3 viruses (4,5). Because measles is highly infectious, international travel originating from measles-endemic areas can result in sporadic cases of measles in countries that have eliminated indigenous transmission. International visitors may infect other travelers while moving through transportation hubs or tourist areas; such cases would not be detected unless the traveler sought medical attention or additional cases were detected. Thus, in many of these instances, the source of virus is unknown. We describe the contribution of global surveillance for measles virus genotypes in identifying a common source of virus among contemporaneous cases identified in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Netherlands.
- Subjects
MEASLES; EPIDEMIOLOGY; REFUGEES; VIRUSES; DIAGNOSIS
- Publication
Emerging Infectious Diseases, 2006, Vol 12, Issue 11, p1
- ISSN
1080-6040
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.3201/eid1211.060635