Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42437201›Full record

ArticleDiscover public health2026

School-associated measles outbreak driven by vaccination gaps, sociocultural barriers, and delayed detection in Gomba District, Uganda 2025.

Sharon Namasambi, Richard Migisha, Vianney John Kigongo, Maria Nakabuye, Lilian Bulage, Benon Kwesiga, Yasiini Nuwamanya, Fred Nsubuga, Collins Ankunda, James Peter Eliku and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Discover public health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

12 authors.

Sharon NamasambiUganda Public Health Fellowship Program, Uganda National Institute of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda.
Richard MigishaUganda Public Health Fellowship Program, Uganda National Institute of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda.
Vianney John KigongoUganda Public Health Fellowship Program, Uganda National Institute of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda.
Maria NakabuyeUganda Public Health Fellowship Program, Uganda National Institute of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda.
Lilian BulageUganda Public Health Fellowship Program, Uganda National Institute of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda.
Benon KwesigaUganda Public Health Fellowship Program, Uganda National Institute of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda.
Yasiini NuwamanyaUganda National Expanded Program on Immunisation, Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda.
Fred NsubugaUganda National Expanded Program on Immunisation, Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda.
Collins AnkundaDepartment of Pharmacology, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
James Peter ElikuUganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Kampala, Uganda.
Josephine BwogiUganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Kampala, Uganda.
Alex Riolexus ArioUganda Public Health Fellowship Program, Uganda National Institute of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: On May 27, 2025 a measles outbreak was confirmed in Kabulasoke Subcounty, Gomba District, Uganda, following a suspected measles-related death. We investigated the outbreak to determine its magnitude, identify risk factors for transmission, estimate measles-rubella vaccination coverage (VC) and vaccine effectiveness (VE), and inform control measures. Methods: We defined a suspected case as onset of fever and maculopapular rash plus ≥ 1 of cough, coryza, or conjunctivitis, in a Kabulasoke Subcounty resident during March-August, 2025; confirmed cases had measles-specific IgM antibodies. We compared exposures of 80 case-patients with 160 age- and sex-matched controls. Vaccination coverage was estimated as the proportion of vaccinated controls; VE was calculated as (1-aOR) *100%, using conditional logistic regression. Sociocultural factors were explored through 15 in-depth and key informant interviews, analysed by inductive thematic analysis. Results: We identified 106 cases (5 laboratory-confirmed, 1 death); overall attack rate (AR):2.4/1,000 population. Children aged 9-17 months were most affected (13/1,000), with clustering in infant school X. Response was initiated 33 days after detection. School attendance (aOR = 1.67; 95% CI: 1.05-2.71) and contact with symptomatic peers (aOR = 2.12; 95% CI: 1.21-3.70) were associated with infection, while vaccination was protective (aOR = 0.39; 95% CI: 0.27-0.55). Vaccination coverage was 72%, and VE was 60%. Qualitative findings revealed male-dominated decision-making, vaccine mistrust, and cultural framing of measles as a self-resolving illness as vaccination barriers. Conclusion: This outbreak was driven by suboptimal vaccination coverage, school-based transmission, and delayed detection. Strengthening routine immunisation, integrating schools into outbreak prevention, and addressing sociocultural barriers are essential to prevent future outbreaks.

Indexed as

Measles outbreakSchool transmissionUgandaVaccine coverageVaccine effectiveness

Identifiers

PMID42437201
PMCPMC13354672

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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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.