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Waving goodbye to measles

Nature volume 414, pages 695–696 (2001)Cite this article

An innovative way of analysing statistics on measles incidence in England and Wales since 1944 reveals recurring waves of infection originating in large cities. The information can guide strategies for preventing the disease.

Measles tends to occur in epidemics. It causes severe complications, such as pneumonia and blindness, and often kills. And it is highly communicable: in a population of susceptible individuals, a single primary case of the disease can result in 15–18 secondary cases1.

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Figure 1: Beating measles with vaccination, as shown here for Romania.

(Source: Ministry of Health, Romania, and ref. 10.)

Figure 2: Measles and megacities.

(Source: ref. 11.)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Immunization Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, 30333, Georgia, USA

    Peter M. Strebel & Stephen L. Cochi

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  1. Peter M. Strebel
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  2. Stephen L. Cochi
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Correspondence to Peter M. Strebel.

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Strebel, P., Cochi, S. Waving goodbye to measles. Nature 414, 695–696 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/414695a

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