Genetic homogeneity of measles viruses associated with a measles outbreak, Sao Paulo, Brazil, 1997

During a resurgence of measles in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in 1997, >40,000 cases (peak incidence rate of 246/100,000 inhabitants) and 42 measles-related deaths were reported. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and nucleotide sequencing were used to analyze specimens from patients who had typical clinical measles infection during this outbreak and from six patients who had had measles in 1995 and 1996. Although wild-type measles viruses (genotypes D5 and D6) were present in Sao Paulo before this resurgence, we detected only D6 viruses. The genotype D6 viruses isolated during this outbreak had identical sequences to genotype D6 viruses isolated in other parts of Brazil and South America in 1997 and 1998, suggesting that a single chain of transmission was responsible. We also identified genotype A viruses in two vaccine-associated cases from 1995 and 1996. Our findings extend the knowledge of the circulation patterns of measles virus in South America, contributing to measles control efforts in the Americas.