[The impact of immunization against measles on epidemiology of measles in Poland].

The measles vaccination has been introduced in Poland in 1975, and the second vaccine dose of measles vaccine in 1991. Mass immunization against measles exerted a significant impact on measles incidence, morbidity rate and mortality. The progressive increase of immunization coverage caused significant decrease of measles incidence rate among children at age below 10 years as well as among not vaccinated children up to 12 months of age. The lengthening of the interepidemic period and significant increase of morbidity rate among older children (over 10 years) and young adults were observed during the period after introduction of mass vaccination against measles. Since 1992 not a single case of death caused by measles was notified. Data on measles incidence and vaccination coverage during the period of observation will be used for development of the mathematical models for measles transmission and choice of optimal immunization strategy in Poland.