Argentina: Health ministry issues alert over measles cases in Río Negro province
Argentina: Health ministry issues alert over measles cases in Río Negro province
On October 4, the rapid response team of the province of Río Negro began the investigation of a probable outbreak of measles after contact with the health system of a family residing in Lamarque, a city in the Avellaneda department in the province of Río Negro, who requested the vaccination of one of their children, referring to contact with a possible case of measles in their community.
As a first result of the investigation, 10 people with compatible symptoms were detected, confirming so far 3 cases with acute measles infection through the detection of IgM antibodies in the provincial Reference Laboratory.
The symptomatic people identified did not have a history of vaccination against measles. The confirmed cases include a 18-month-old child and two 11-year-old children from the same community.
The samples were referred to the National Reference Laboratory for further studies.
Three people related to the confirmed cases had returned from a trip abroad on September 18, and began to show symptoms days after their return. Based on this finding, it is hypothesized that this is an outbreak related to importation in unvaccinated people.
The rapid response team to outbreaks in the province of Río Negro continues with the epidemiological investigation, including the data of potentially exposed contacts according to the itineraries of the detected cases and with the implementation of the corresponding focus control actions.
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Other cases in Argentina include:
In January 2024, a case was confirmed in an unvaccinated 19-month-old child in Salta, with genotype D8 (MVs/Patán.IND/16.19 lineage) detected. The source was not identified, so the case was classified as a source of unknown origin. No secondary cases occurred.
In February 2024, a case of imported measles was reported in an unvaccinated 6-year-old child residing in Barcelona (Spain). Genotype B3 was recorded, MVs/Manchester.GBR/44.23 lineage. During follow-up, the 13-month-old brother presented symptoms, identifying the same genotype B3.
Argentina interrupted the endemic circulation of measles in 2000. Since then, limited outbreaks lasting less than a year have been recorded, without loss of elimination status.