Suboptimal measles-mumps-rubella vaccination coverage facilitates an imported measles outbreak in Ireland

The year 2000 saw a dramatic increase in the incidence of measles infections in Ireland, with 1 1500 cases documented. Initial cases were reported from an area of Dublin with low vaccine uptake and a large immigrant population. Molecular epidemiologic findings revealed that the strain of measles virus responsible for this outbreak was the genotype D2 strain, which is closely related to strains initially identified in South Africa. It is suggested that suboptimal vaccine uptake facilitated the spread of imported measles infection.