Age-specific occurrence rates of measles in urban, peri-urban, and rural environments: implications for time of vaccination.
Measles vaccination is unsatisfactory in infants less than 8 months old. To find out what proportion of children with measles in the developing world fall within this age range, a survey was conducted in Natal/Kwa Zulu. Data were collected from urban (community-based survey, infectious diseases hospital data, referral centre date), peri-urban (regional hospital and clinics), and rural (3 local hospitals and their peripheral clinics) populations. There was a positive association between population density and the percentage of measles cases aged 8 months or less. 20-45% of measles patients in urban areas, 15% in the peri-urban zone, and 6-12% in rural Kwa Zulu had the disease at or below 8 months of age. The mortality rate for measles in this age group at the referral centre was 26%. There is an urgent need for effective methods of immunizing the very young against measles in high-density regions of developing countries.
D000367:Age Factors; D000917:Antibody Formation; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003906:Developing Countries; D006801:Humans; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D007223:Infant; D008457:Measles / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012424:Rural Population; D013019:South Africa; D013383:Suburban Population; D014505:Urban Population; D014611:Vaccination