Conference Abstract | Volume 9 (ConfPro8): Abstract 73 | Published:  10 Oct 2026

Epidemiological profile of measles in the Centrale Region of Togo from 2016 to 2024

Ekoué Lagnon Ahatefou1,2,&, Akawulu N’djao3, Koffi Akolly1,2, Anne Thomas1,2, Takpaya Gnaro1,2, Fifonsi Adjidossi Gbeasor-Komlanvi1,2, Christelle Nikieme-Pessinaba4, Sena Feda4, Didier Koumavi Ekouevi1,2

1West Africa Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program (WA-FELTP), Lomé, Togo; 2Centre de Formation et de Recherche en Santé Publique (CFRSP), Lomé, Togo; 3Direction Régionale de la Santé (DRS), Région Centrale, Sokodé, Togo ; 4Division de la Surveillance Intégrée des Urgences Sanitaires et de la Riposte (DSIUSR), Lomé, Togo

&Corresponding author: Ekoué Lagnon Ahatefou, Advanced Epidemiologist, West Africa Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program (WA-FELTP), Lomé, Togo, Email: ekoueahat@gmail.com, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-3727-3412          

Received: 11 Mar 2026, Accepted: 30 Aug 2026, Published: 10 Oct 2026

Domain: Infectious Disease Epidemiology

This is part of the Proceedings of the 7th African Epidemiological Association and 1st Ghana Epidemiological Society Conference, 13 – 15 October, 2026

Keywords: Measles, surveillance, incidence, Centrale Region, Togo

©Ekoué Lagnon Ahatefou et al. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health (ISSN: 2664-2824). This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution International 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Cite this article: Ekoué Lagnon Ahatefou et al., Epidemiological profile of measles in the Centrale Region of Togo from 2016 to 2024. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health. 2026;9(ConfPro8):73. https://doi.org/10.37432/JIEPH-CONFPRO8-0073

Introduction

Measles remains a significant public health concern in Togo, with recurring outbreaks persisting despite ongoing vaccination campaigns. This study was conducted to characterize the epidemiological profile of measles cases in the Centrale region between 2016 and 2024, with the aim of contributing to incidence reduction.

Methods

This was a descriptive cross-sectional study based on secondary data from the National Institute of Hygiene of Togo, covering the period from 2016 to 2024.

Results

Of 446 suspected cases reported between 2016 and 2024 with samples collected, 31.2% (139/446) were laboratory-confirmed. Among confirmed cases, the annual incidence rate peaked in 2022 and 2023, reaching 7.5 and 6.8 confirmed cases per 100,000 population, respectively. The average incidence rate over the study period was 1.9 cases per 100,000 population, with the Mô district recording the highest rate at 5.5 confirmed cases per 100,000 population. The median age of confirmed cases was 4 years (IQR: 1–7). Children under 5 years of age were the most affected (59.7%), followed by those aged 5–14 years (34.6%). The sex ratio (male to female) was 0.8. Regarding vaccination status, 62.0% of confirmed cases had an unknown status, and 28.0% had not received any dose of measles vaccine. Suspected cases were reported within 24 hours in 79.3% of cases. Samples were adequate in 71.1% of cases, and laboratory results were available within the recommended timeframe for 39.6% of samples received.

Conclusion

Measles is endemic in the Centrale Region of Togo, predominantly affecting children under 15 years of age. Strengthening vaccination coverage appears essential to reduce incidence.

 
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