title: The epidemiological and clinical characteristics of measles in Wenzhou, China, 2000-2010.
abstract: This study examined the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of measles in Wenzhou, China. From 2000 to 2010, a total of 13271 measles cases were reported in Wenzhou, with epidemics occurring every 3-4 years. Forty-five per cent of the cases were aged <1 year and 27.2% were aged >14 years. Of 2262 hospitalized measles cases, 66.3% were diagnosed with pneumonia, and three cases died from respiratory failure. The number of measles cases of infants requiring hospitalization increased from birth to age 8 months and declined thereafter. Measurement of serum measles antibody levels in normal infants indicates that over 80% of infants in Wenzhou may be susceptible to measles by age 6 months. The existence of a sufficient pool of unvaccinated children and the decreased level of passively transferred measles antibodies in infants from vaccinated mothers contributed to the sustained transmission observed in Wenzhou.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical College, Wenzhou, China.
authors.forename: Z W
authors.initials: ZW
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Y P
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008457:Measles / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D008458:Measles Vaccine; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D008458:Measles Vaccine