Change in measles vaccination coverage and connections with outbreaks in Lithuania, Europe and worldwide

Background. Measles is a dangerous viral disease.The number of outbreaks is increasing worldwide. Inadequate vaccination is cited as the main reason for this. Aim. To identify if there is a correlation between measles cases in Europe and globally in comparison with vaccination coverage. Materials and methods. A systematic analysis of the literature was carried out in May-June using the search system Google Scholar, the scientific bases and journals, WHO’s official website and its database, for Lithuania and its cases - National Center for Public Health and its database. Results. In this study we found out there is a link between new measles cases, outbreaks, and vaccination rates. As overall immunization rates fall below 95% or remain stagnant, the incidence of new outbreaks rises. While Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean have the lowest vaccination rates and highest new cases from 2018 to 2021, Europe and the Western Pacific are also seeing rising case trends. In Europe, cases have increased annually since the COVID-19 pandemic, and overall vaccination rates remain inadequate. Lithuania is also experiencing challenges with measles, with new cases reported in 2019, 2020, 2023, and 2024. Conclusions. The top priority is to raise overall immunization coverage above 95%, alongside developing effective healthcare systems and maintaining basic prevention measures. Additionally, innovative solutions like UV-C lamps can help eliminate airborne pathogens like measles.