HIV type 1 infection is a risk factor for mortality in hospitalized Zambian children with measles.
BACKGROUND
Measles remains a significant cause of vaccine-preventable mortality in sub-Saharan Africa, yet few studies have investigated risk factors for measles mortality in regions of high human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) prevalence.


METHODS
Between January 1998 and July 2003, children with clinically diagnosed measles who were hospitalized at the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka, Zambia, were enrolled in an observational study. Demographic and clinical information was recorded at enrollment and at discharge or death. Measles was confirmed by detection of antimeasles virus immunoglobulin M antibodies, and HIV-1 infection was confirmed by detection of HIV-1 RNA.


RESULTS
Of 1474 enrolled children, 1227 (83%) had confirmed measles and known HIV-1 infection status. Almost one-third of the HIV-1-infected children with measles were <9 months of age, the age of routine measles vaccination, compared with one-fourth of the uninfected children (P = .07). Death occurred during hospitalization in 23 (12.2%) of the HIV-1-infected children and 45 (4.3%) of the HIV-1-uninfected children (p < .001) with measles. After adjusting for age, sex, and measles vaccination status, HIV-1 infection (odds ratio, 2.5; 95% confidence interval, 1.4-4.6), < or =8 years of maternal education (odds ratio, 2.4; 95% confidence interval, 1.2-4.8), and the presence of a desquamating rash (odds ratio, 2.2, 95% confidence interval, 1.3-3.6) were significant predictors of mortality due to measles.


CONCLUSIONS
In a region of high HIV-1 prevalence, coinfection with HIV-1 more than doubled the odds of death in hospitalized children with measles. Increased mortality among HIV-1-infected children is further evidence that greater efforts are necessary to reduce transmission of the measles virus in regions of high HIV-1 prevalence.
Moss
William J
WJ
W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205-2179, USA. wmoss@jhsph.edu
Fisher
Cynthia
C
Scott
Susana
S
Monze
Mwaka
M
Ryon
Judith J
JJ
Quinn
Thomas C
TC
Griffin
Diane E
DE
Cutts
Felicity T
FT
D000293:Adolescent; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008457:Measles / Q000401:mortality*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D012307:Risk Factors; D015024:Zambia
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D012367:RNA, Viral