Self-collected buccal swabs and rapid, real-time PCR during a large measles outbreak in Wales: Evidence for the protective effect of prior MMR immunisation

Molecular testing of all notified measles cases offers the most rapid way of confirming the introduction of measles into a population potentially before secondary transmission has already occurred. The outbreak data confirms the protective effect of the MMR vaccine with vaccine efficacy calculated at 96% for one dose and 99% for two doses supporting the WHO recommendations for a two dose MMR immunisation schedule.