Factors associated with measles outbreak in three health districts of Cameroon in 2019: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Introduction: measles is an infectious viral disease that affects susceptible individuals of all ages. It is a leading cause of death among young children globally due to suboptimal vaccination coverage. In 2019, measles outbreaks affected several parts of the world, including three health districts (HDs) of Cameroon's South West Region (SWR) experiencing armed conflict. Herein, we assessed the factors associated with the outbreak in the SWR.

Methods: we conducted a comparative study from March to August 2020. Data on study participants were compared between the three HDs that experienced a measles outbreak and three other HDs of the region that reported a case of measles but did not get into an outbreak. Records on vaccination between 2015 and 2019 were reviewed.

Results: information was obtained from 56 participants with known measles status, 32 from outbreak districts, and 24 from non-outbreak districts. The population in the outbreak group was more likely to have traveled from an area in a measles outbreak (OR 2, 95%CI 1.1-11.20). There was a suboptimal availability of measles vaccines in both categories of districts compared to the needs, and there was a downward trend in vaccination coverage in both groups. In addition, vaccines were more exposed to extreme temperatures in HDs with the outbreak (P<0.01) from 2015 to 2019. We found no statistically significant difference between both groups concerning the preexisting comorbidities of participants.

Conclusion: there is an urgent need to improve the cold chain and intensify vaccination activities in these districts.