Clinical and Epidemiological Study of Measles Cases in Central Teaching Hospital of Pediatrics in Babylon Province

Abstract

Background: It is an acute highly contagious disease occurs frequently in young children. It consists of three stages: An incubation stage of approximately 10–12 days. Prodromal stage with an enanthem (Koplik’s spots) on the buccal and pharyngeal mucosa, low grade fever, conjunctivitis, coryza, and sometimes-increasing cough. A final stage of a maculopopular rash erupting over the neck and face, body, arms, and legs associated with high fever. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the epidemiology, clinical features, complications, effectiveness of vaccine and treatment on cases of measles. Materials and Methods: Prospective case study of measles cases who are less than 13 years of age admitted to central teaching hospital of pediatrics during the period between 1/4/2015-1/10/2015 Diagnosis of measles was done by the classical history of the prodromal, fever, and cough, conjunctivitis, followed by the appearance of the classical rash after few days of the prodromal stage with the presence of the path gnomonic Kopliks spots in some patients. Chest X-rays (CXR) was done to all patients with suspicion of pneumonia. In addition to CBC and blood film. GSE was done to all patients with gastroenteritis, in addition to CBC. blood film and stool culture. Results: Two hundred seventy-seven patients were studied The male patients were (158, 57.03%) patients and the females were (119, 42.97%) patients, most of them (203, 73.28%) were not vaccinated (74, 26.72%) patients received the first dose of the vaccine at age of 9 months (21, 7.58%) patients received the first dose at 9 months with the second dose (MMR) at age of 15 months and only three patients (1.08%) received first, second, and third dose (MMR) at age of 4 years. The commonest clinical features were rash, fever, cough, conjunctivitis with coryza. Pneumonia was the commonest complication followed by gastroenteritis. There are only two cases of death: one due to severe pneumonia and the other due to septicemia and its complications. Conclusion: Measles is still a major health problem even in vaccinated children and the severity of illness is the same in both vaccinated and non-vaccinated children, with the peak age of incidence is during the second half of first year of life.