Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39813269›Full record

Observational studyPloS one2025

Ongoing measles outbreak in Romania: Clinical investigation and molecular epidemiology performed on whole genome sequences.

Robert Hohan, Marius Surleac, Victor Daniel Miron, Andreea Tudor, Ana-Maria Tudor, Oana Săndulescu, Ovidiu Vlaicu, Victoria Aramă, Daniela Pițigoi, Adriana Hristea and 5 more

Abstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in PloS one, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Observational
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Robert HohanNational Institute for Infectious Diseases "Prof. Dr. Matei Bals", Bucharest, Romania.
Marius SurleacNational Institute for Infectious Diseases "Prof. Dr. Matei Bals", Bucharest, Romania.
Victor Daniel MironNational Institute for Infectious Diseases "Prof. Dr. Matei Bals", Bucharest, Romania.
Andreea TudorNational Institute for Infectious Diseases "Prof. Dr. Matei Bals", Bucharest, Romania.
Ana-Maria TudorNational Institute for Infectious Diseases "Prof. Dr. Matei Bals", Bucharest, Romania.
Oana SăndulescuNational Institute for Infectious Diseases "Prof. Dr. Matei Bals", Bucharest, Romania.
Ovidiu VlaicuNational Institute for Infectious Diseases "Prof. Dr. Matei Bals", Bucharest, Romania.
Victoria AramăNational Institute for Infectious Diseases "Prof. Dr. Matei Bals", Bucharest, Romania.
Daniela PițigoiNational Institute for Infectious Diseases "Prof. Dr. Matei Bals", Bucharest, Romania.
Adriana HristeaNational Institute for Infectious Diseases "Prof. Dr. Matei Bals", Bucharest, Romania.
Anca Cristina DrăgănescuNational Institute for Infectious Diseases "Prof. Dr. Matei Bals", Bucharest, Romania.
Dimitrios ParaskevisDepartment of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
Leontina BănicăNational Institute for Infectious Diseases "Prof. Dr. Matei Bals", Bucharest, Romania.ORCID 0000-0001-9956-951X
Dan OțeleaNational Institute for Infectious Diseases "Prof. Dr. Matei Bals", Bucharest, Romania.
Simona ParaschivNational Institute for Infectious Diseases "Prof. Dr. Matei Bals", Bucharest, Romania.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimRomania is currently facing a prolonged measles outbreak. The aim of the study was to analyse the circulating human measles virus (HMV) strains by combining whole genome sequencing (WGS) with phylogenetic analysis, with a focus on the haemagglutinin gene.

methodsWe conducted an observational study in the first five months of 2024, in which 168 patients diagnosed with measles were randomly included. We have evaluated the clinical and epidemiological differences between children and adults. Screening for samples to be sequenced was performed with a commercial kit (PrimerDesign). WGS was done on Illumina MiSeq platform and phylogenetic analysis was performed with ML FastTree.

resultsNo significant epidemiological and clinical differences between patients in the two age groups were identified. WGS was successfully performed for a number of 124 HMV strains. Genotype analysis indicated all the sequences as D8, except one that was B3. Phylogenetic analysis identified two well supported clusters, suggestive for at least two local transmission networks in Romania. One large transmission network (n = 108) consisted of sequences both from adults and children. Only one sequence from outside Romania (reported in Russia in 2023) clustered within this group. Another small transmission cluster was identified (14 sequences of which 11 from patients infected in the spring of 2024 and three in 2022). A few differences between the two co-circulating viral variants/clusters were observed. The median duration of hospitalisation was 2 days longer for patients in smaller cluster compared to those in the larger one (p = 0.019). Furthermore, these two clusters presented different mutation profiles in the hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (N) genes with implications for molecular surveillance.

conclusionThe current measles epidemic in Romania is driven mainly by two D8 genotype variants with different mutation profiles and slightly different severity of the disease, highlighting the usefulness of sustained molecular surveillance.

Indexed as

Disease OutbreaksGenome, ViralMeaslesMeasles virusAdolescentAdultChildChild, PreschoolFemaleGenotypeHumansInfantMaleMiddle AgedMolecular EpidemiologyPhylogeny

Identifiers

PMID39813269
PMCPMC11734985

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.