Laboratory Methods Supporting Measles surveillance in Queensland, Australia, 2010-2017

Abstract

Australia was officially recognised as having eliminated endemic measles circulation in 2014. Maintaining laboratory support for surveillance of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles is an essential component of reaching and maintaining circulation-free status. Between 2010 and 2017 over 13,700 specimens were tested in our laboratory by real-time RT-PCR (RT-rPCR). Positive extracts from travellers were sequenced as required. Sequences were uploaded to GenBank and demonstrated the wide genetic variation expected from detection of MeV among virus introductions due to global travel. We describe the laboratory workflow employed in our laboratory between 2010 and 2017 for the sensitive detection of MeV infection, supporting high-quality surveillance.