Guidance for testing of measles and rubella in the Laboratory Network of the Region of the Americas, 2018

The countries of the Region of the Americas established the goal of interrupting endemic measles transmission by the year 2000 and rubella transmission by 2010. Due to the successful implementation of measles and rubella vaccination strategies, the countries interrupted endemic transmission of measles in 2002 and rubella in 2009. After a process of verification, the Americas were declared free of endemic rubella and congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) in 2015, and free of measles on 2016. To maintain the elimination of measles and rubella in the Region, it is essential for laboratory surveillance to follow the recommendations established within PAHO’s Regional Measles and Rubella Laboratory Network (RMRLN) and to ensure that accurate and reliable results are provided by all national laboratories participating in the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Measles and Rubella Laboratory Network (GMRLN) and in RMRLN.