BACKGROUND: The global disease burden from measles as a vaccine preventable disease remains high despite decades of interventions by various organs and agencies. OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence and outcome of childhood cases of measles admitted into the children's emergency ward of the National hospital and highlight the possible contributing factors. DESIGN: Retrospective. SUBJECTS: A total number of 43 children with measles presenting at the National Hospital Abuja, seen over a 40 months period; January 2002 and April 2005. METHODS: Cases-folders of patients seen at the Emergency Paediatric Unit (EPU) of the National Hospital Abuja during the period under review with the clinical diagnosis of measles were reviewed. RESULTS: The children were aged between seven to 12months, with 25 (58.1%) age 24months and below. Twenty three (53.5%) of the subjects had received prior measles vaccination. History of contact with cases of acute measles was present in 26 (60.5%). Associated protein energy malnutrition (PEM) was found in 30 (69.8%) with 28 (65.1 %) parents of these children being of lower social economic classes (III, IV &V). Recorded complications included gastroenteritis, bronchopneumonia, laryngo-tracheo-bronchitis as part of croup syndrome, tuberculosis, and otitis media. Three fatalities (7.0%) were record in this review, all in association with bronchopneumonia. CONCLUSION: Measles with its complications still present as a fatal illness even among vaccinated children.
BACKGROUND: The global disease burden from measles as a vaccine preventable disease remains high despite decades of interventions by various organs and agencies. OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence and outcome of childhood cases of measles admitted into the children's emergency ward of the National hospital and highlight the possible contributing factors. DESIGN: Retrospective. SUBJECTS: A total number of 43 children with measles presenting at the National Hospital Abuja, seen over a 40 months period; January 2002 and April 2005. METHODS: Cases-folders of patients seen at the Emergency Paediatric Unit (EPU) of the National Hospital Abuja during the period under review with the clinical diagnosis of measles were reviewed. RESULTS: The children were aged between seven to 12months, with 25 (58.1%) age 24months and below. Twenty three (53.5%) of the subjects had received prior measles vaccination. History of contact with cases of acute measles was present in 26 (60.5%). Associated protein energy malnutrition (PEM) was found in 30 (69.8%) with 28 (65.1 %) parents of these children being of lower social economic classes (III, IV &V). Recorded complications included gastroenteritis, bronchopneumonia, laryngo-tracheo-bronchitis as part of croup syndrome, tuberculosis, and otitis media. Three fatalities (7.0%) were record in this review, all in association with bronchopneumonia. CONCLUSION: Measles with its complications still present as a fatal illness even among vaccinated children.