Prepared by: Luka Kosec Last modified: March 2025

Purpose and justification of the indicator

MEASLES is a highly contagious disease that begins with fever, headache, fatigue, runny nose and cough. Then a characteristic, clearly visible rash appears all over the body. Measles often causes complications such as otitis media, pneumonia, and inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) can also occur, which can leave permanent consequences. In rare cases, a chronic degenerative fatal disease of the central nervous system with movement disorders, speech disorders and convulsions can develop several years after the disease has passed. MUMPS begins with a feeling of malaise and fever. The most common sign of this contagious disease is the enlargement of one or both parotid glands, which can completely change the appearance of the face. The disease can also affect other glands (pancreas, ovaries, testicles), other organs (brain) and even hearing. RUBELLA is characterized by fever, a characteristic rash on the body, and enlarged lymph nodes behind the ears. Infection with the rubella virus is extremely dangerous during pregnancy, as the virus causes infection of the fetus and the consequences can be deafness, visual impairment and blindness, heart and brain diseases, and mental retardation. According to the National Vaccination Program in Slovenia, vaccination against measles (M), mumps (M) and rubella (R) is a mandatory vaccination. Children must receive two doses of the combined vaccine against the three diseases at the same time. Vaccination begins at the age of 11 to 18 months (first dose). The child is vaccinated again (second dose of the vaccine) during the systematic examination for entry into primary school (5−6 years of age). The OMR vaccine has been thoroughly researched and proven to be very safe and effective. From 2025, vaccination with the combined vaccine against measles, mumps, rubella and varicella is recommended for children born from February 2024 onwards. To achieve herd immunity against infectious diseases such as measles, mumps and rubella, a high proportion of the population must be vaccinated. Measles is extremely contagious – one infected individual can infect between 12 and 18 others if there is no adequate immunity in the population. This means that we need to achieve at least 95% vaccination coverage to prevent the spread of the virus and also protect those who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons. The World Health Organization warns that due to insufficient vaccination coverage, measles outbreaks are still occurring around the world, even in countries with good access to vaccines.

Definition of indicator

Vaccination coverage of children against MMR in the observed period describes the proportion of children from a specific birth cohort for whom vaccination against measles, mumps and rubella is prescribed in accordance with the National Vaccination Program, who were vaccinated with one dose of the MMR vaccine, calculated as a percentage of all children from the same birth cohort.

Unit of measure

Calculation of the indicator

MMR vaccination coverage is the ratio of the number of children from a given birth cohort who have been vaccinated with one dose of MMR vaccine to the total number of children from that same birth cohort. Vaccination of children against measles, mumps and rubella with 1 dose of vaccine (FORMULA) The calculation of the indicator takes into account all children who meet the above conditions, are registered in eRCO and have a temporary or permanent address of residence in Slovenia. Vaccination coverage by municipality is shown according to address of residence.

Data sources for Slovenia

eRCO – Electronic registry of vaccinated persons and adverse reactions after vaccination.

Time availability

Year of publication of the indicator in Health in the municipality

Reference year 2023 (children born in 2021), annually

Men in literature

1. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Di Pietrantonj C, Rivetti A, Marchione P, Debalini MG, Demicheli V. Vaccines for measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella in children. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2021, Issue 11.
2. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Schenk, Julie et al. Immunogenicity and persistence of trivalent measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 2021. Volume 21, Issue 2, 286 &ndash; 295
3. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Desai AN, Majumder MS. What Is Herd Immunity? JAMA. 2020;324(20):2113.&nbsp;
4. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Majumder MS, Cohn EL, Mekaru SR, Huston JE, Brownstein JS. Substandard Vaccination Compliance and the 2015 Measles Outbreak. JAMA Pediatr. 2015;169(5):494&ndash;495.&nbsp;
Nacionalni in&scaron;titut za javno zdravje. Osnovne informacije o cepljenju proti o&scaron;picam, mumpsu in rdečkam [internet]. [citirano dne 24. 9. 2024]. Dosegljivo na: 2019_omr_z.pdf (nijz.si).

Notes

It is assumed that all children from a given birth cohort had the opportunity to be vaccinated by the reference period to which the data refer (e.g.: for the reference year 2023, this is the cohort of children born from 1 January to 31 December 2021). Reporting on vaccinations in eRCO is not optimal, so the vaccination coverage shown in this indicator is slightly underestimated compared to the actual vaccination of children against MMR in Slovenia. Therefore, at the NIJZ, we additionally check the vaccination of children against MMR with 1 dose of vaccine on a random sample of children every year.

Preventive

Prepared by: Metka Zaletel 
Date of last modification: September 2016

Residents and community

Prepared by: Mojca Simončič and Metka Zaletel 
Date of last change: January 2018

Prepared by: Mojca Simončič and Metka Zaletel 
Date of last change: September 2016

Prepared by: Mojca Simončič 
Date of last change: March 2017

Prepared by: Gregor Starc 
Date of last modification: September 2016

Health risk factors

Prepared by: Gregor Starc, Kristina Orožen 
Date of last change: September 2016

Prepared by: Tina Lesnik 
Date of last change: March 2021

Prepared by: Andreja Belščak 
Date of last change: September 2016

Prepared by: Mateja Rok Simon and Tina Zupanič 
Date of last change: March 2017

Prepared by: Metka Zaletel 
Date of last modification: March 2019

Prepared by: Victoria Zakrajšek 
Date of last change: March 2021

Prepared by: Martin Ranfl, Jona Bambič 
Date of last change: November 2017

Prepared by: Victoria Zakrajšek, Tatjana Kofol Bric 
Date of last change: March 2019

Prepared by: Jasmina Staroveški Anderlič 
Date of last change: March 2020

Prepared by: Victoria Zakrajšek 
Date of last change: November 2021

Prepared by: Victoria Zakrajšek 
Date of last change: March 2023

Prepared by: Tatjana Kofol Bric 
Date of last modification: September 2016

Prepared by: Victoria Zakrajšek and Sonja Tomšič 
Date of last change: March 2017

Prepared by: Bonia Miljavac 
Date of last change: March 2017

Prepared by: Sonja Tomšič 
Date of last change: November 2019

Prepared by: Luka Kosec Last modified: March 2025


Prepared by: Sonja Tomšič 
Date of last change: March 2021

Health status

Prepared by: Victoria Zakrajšek 
Date of last change: March 2017

Prepared by: Aleš Korošec 
Date of last change: September 2016

Prepared by: Aleš Korošec
Date of last change: September 2016

Prepared by: Tatjana Kofol Bric 
Date of last change: March 2019

Prepared by: Aleš Korošec and Sonja Tomšič 
Date of last change: September 2016

Prepared by: Mojca Simončič and Metka Zaletel 
Date of last change: October 2019

Prepared by: Kristina Orožen 
Date of last change: March 2019

Prepared by: Tatjana Kofol Bric, Jona Bambič 
Date of last change: March 2018

Prepared by: Victoria Zakrajšek, Tatjana Kofol Bric 
Date of last change: February 2020

Prepared by: Ema Ahačič 
Date of last change: April 2023

Prepared by: Ema Ahačič 
Date of last change: March 2023

Mortality

Prepared by: Sonja Tomšič, Tatjana Kofol Bric 
Date of last change: March 2019

Prepared by: Sonja Tomšič 
Date of last change: March 2019

Prepared by: Tina Lesnik 
Date of last change: March 2019

Prepared by: Tina Lesnik 
Date of last change: March 2020