Increased childhood morbidity after measles is short-term in urban Bangladesh.
In a 1995-1996 cohort study in the city of Dhaka, Bangladesh, morbidity in 117 hospitalized and 137 acute measles cases compared with age-matched children without measles (unexposed) was determined by weekly interview for 6 months. Compared with unexposed children, there were higher incidences of hospitalization (adjusted rate ratio (RR) = 3.1, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.3, 7.6) and bloody diarrhea (adjusted RR = 2.7, 95% CI: 1.4, 5.1) in hospital measles cases during the 6 weeks after recruitment. Among community cohorts, there were higher incidences of bloody diarrhea (adjusted RR = 4.1, 95% CI: 1.1, 14.6), watery diarrhea (adjusted RR = 1.6, 95% CI: 0.9, 2.7), fast breathing (adjusted RR = 3.8, 95% CI: 2.1, 6.9), and the weekly point prevalence of pneumonia (adjusted prevalence ratio = 3.1, 95% CI: 1.0, 9.8) in measles cases during the same period. All measles cases regained lost weight within about 6 weeks. The prevalence of anergy to seven recall antigens 6 weeks after recruitment was higher in both hospital (adjusted odds ratio = 2.8, 95% CI: 1.2, 6.4) and community (adjusted odds ratio = 3.1, 95% CI: 1.1, 8.9) measles cases. Morbidity increased during the first 6-8 weeks after measles, but the authors found no consistent evidence of longer-term morbidity or wasting. The results support recent findings that measles is not associated with increased delayed mortality.
Akramuzzaman
S M
SM
Clinical Sciences Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka.
Cutts
F T
FT
Wheeler
J G
JG
Hossain
M J
MJ
D000208:Acute Disease; D000941:Antigens / Q000097:blood; D001459:Bangladesh / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007239:Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008457:Measles / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015431:Weight Loss
D000941:Antigens