Measles and rubella laboratory network: 2007 meeting on use of alternative sampling techniques for surveillance

Overview

WHO’s measles and rubella laboratory network (LabNet) was established to provide a standardized testing and reporting structure with a comprehensive external quality assurance programme. The LabNet comprises 679 laboratories serving 166 countries. The prim ary focus of these laboratories is to confirm measles and rubella cases by identifying the presence of measles virus-specific or rubella virus-specific immunoglobulin M (IgM ) antibodies.

More than 180 000 serum samples were tested for measles IgM in 2007, approximately 85% of which were also tested for rubella IgM. However, surveillance is incomplete in some areas because serum samples are difficult to collect and transport. From 2003 to 2007,2 alternative sampling approaches to collecting serum samples were evaluated in WHO’s measles and rubella LabNet; these have the potential to be useful tools for measles and ru ­ bella control programmes. These alternative approaches use dried blood spots or oral fluid. This report summarizes the main features of the 3 approaches to surveillance to enable programme managers to make decisions about their use.