Investigation of Measles Outbreak in Pakistan (2022 to 2023): Exploring Comorbidities, Complications, and Molecular Dynamics
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Background
Measles remains a major public health concern worldwide, particularly in regions with insufficient vaccination coverage and healthcare infrastructure like Pakistan. The purpose of this study is to investigate that what are the epidemiological, molecular, and phylogenetic characteristics of the measles outbreak in Pakistan during 2022-2023 and highlight the areas of improvement that can contribute to the understanding of the disease and inform strategies for effective outbreak management and vaccination optimization.
Methods
Throat swabs were collected from patients (n = 183) admitted at PIMS, Islamabad, Pakistan from December 2022-December 2023. This research was conducted statistically by using SPSS-21 software. The phylogenetics, amino acid substitutions, and structural analysis of partial nucleoprotein were performed by using different bioinformatics software.
Results
Most of the measles patients were infants with a high prevalence of comorbidity and complications and significant patients had inadequate vaccination coverage. The phylogenetic analysis revealed relatedness to B3 strains circulating in Russia and the USA, emphasizing the global spread. The amino acid substitutions and structure analysis highlighted minor structural variations in current isolates as compared to the reference strain.
Conclusion
The findings underscore the importance of continuous surveillance and understanding of measles epidemiology and viral variations for effective outbreak management and vaccination optimization, ultimately aiming to mitigate the morbidity and mortality associated with measles outbreaks in Pakistan and similar settings globally. This study exemplifies the significance of interdisciplinary collaboration in confronting complex infectious disease challenges, emphasizing the imperative of continuous monitoring and preparedness in combating measles through vaccination.
