Outbreak of measles--Venezuela and Colombia, 2001-2002.

Substantial progress has been made toward interrupting indigenous measles transmission in the Region of the Americas. In 2001, the number of confirmed measles cases in the region reached a record low of 537 cases, a 99% decrease since 1990. During 2001, the Dominican Republic and Haiti interrupted indigenous measles transmission successfully, ending known indigenous transmission of the D6 measles virus genotype. This genotype, which had circulated widely in the Region of the Americas since 1995, caused nationwide outbreaks in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti during 1997-2001. In August 2001, a measles outbreak introduced by a traveler returning from Europe occurred in Venezuela and was exported to Colombia in 2002. This report describes the epidemiology of the outbreaks and control measures implemented by the ministries of health of Venezuela and Colombia.