A study of measles at the Lady Ridgeway Hospital

Objective To study clinical aspects of the 1999 outbreak

of measles.

Design A prospective study of suspected cases of

measles admitted to 2 paediatric units from October

1999 to January 2000.

Setting Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children,

Colombo.

Method From each suspected case of measles blood

was sent to the Medical Research Institute to detect

lgM antibodies. The age, sex, clinical features,

vaccination status, complications, treatment and

duration in hospital was noted in each child. Chest xrays

were taken when there was clinical evidence of

pneumonia.

Results 157 children suspected of measles were

admitted to the 2 paediatric units during the study

period. 7 (4.5%) were under 6 months of age, 37

(23.5%) were 6-9 months of age, 10 (6.4%) were 10-

12 months of age, 34 (21.6%) were 13-60 months of

age, 48 (30.6%) were 61-108 months of age and 21

(13.4%) were 109-144 months of age. 52 (33%)

children received no prior measles vaccination. Of

these, 7 (13.5%) were under 6 months of age, 37

(71.2%) were 6-9 months of age, 2 (3.8%) were 10-

12 months of age, 4 (7.7%) were 13-60 months of

age, l (l.9%) was 61-108 months of age and l (l.9%)

was 109-144 months of age. 2 children developed

bronchopneumonia. There were no other

complications. IgM antibodies were present in 148

patients.

Conclusions 1. 94% clinically suspected measles

patients had positive measles serology. Thus

serological confirmation of measles is probably a

waste of scarce resources. 2. 28% children who

developed measles were under 10 months of age and

23.6% were in the 6-9 month age group. There is a

case for bringing forward the recommended age for

measles immunisation to 6 months.

Sri Lanka Joumal of Child Health, 2000; 29: 112-3

(Key words: Measles, children)

doi: 10.4038/sljch.v29i4.749