Japanese universities beset by measles

Japan's Keio University was forced to cancel most of its classes recently because of a major measles outbreak affecting the nation's schools.

As universities nationwide struggle with similar outbreaks of the infectious disease, schools such as Keio University are taking action to limit its spread through their student populations, the Kyodo News said Sunday.

To date, the epidemic has been credited with afflicting hundreds of students at universities throughout Japan.

Prior to Keio University's scholastic action Saturday, similar limited class schedules were adopted by schools such as Waseda University and Meiji University.

The schools' actions come as health officials continue to struggle with containing the measles outbreak nationwide. The news service said such containment efforts have been hindered by a lack of testing reagents needed to conduct related antibody tests.

Copyright 2007 by United Press International

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