VOLUME 5 , ISSUE 1 ( January-March, 2023 ) > List of Articles
Snehal V Patel, Halak J Vasavada, Ravina G Rakholiya, Ruchi G Pagi, Param S Patel, Shaiv N Patel
Keywords : Coronavirus 2019 pandemic, Complication of measles, Malnutrition, Measles, Measles–Rubella campaign, Reasons for unvaccination
Citation Information : Patel SV, Vasavada HJ, Rakholiya RG, Pagi RG, Patel PS, Patel SN. Post-COVID-19 Resurgence of Measles in Ahmedabad: A Study of 657 Cases in a Tertiary Care Center. Pediatr Inf Dis 2023; 5 (1):6-9.
DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-10081-1383
License: CC BY-NC 4.0
Published Online: 15-04-2023
Copyright Statement: Copyright © 2023; The Author(s).
Aims and background: Measles has made an unwelcome comeback as a resurgent infection and India is one of the worst-hit countries. The present study was undertaken to study clinicodemographic profile of measles and the reason for nonvaccination due to COVID-19 lockdown as risk factor for recent outbreak of measles. Materials and methods: This was a hospital-based cross-sectional study carried out in the pediatric ward of Shardaben Hospital, which is a tertiary care center. Patients between 1 month and 12 years of age admitted to hospital between April 2022 and January 2023 were included in the study. Measles was clinically defined according to the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. Detailed history was taken, physical examination was done, and the outcome was studied. The data was analyzed and descriptive statistics were presented using percentages. Results: It was observed that out of the total admitted cases 4,893, there were 657 cases of measles with prevalence is 13.4%. From the table, it is suggested that highest attack rate of measles is 63.92% and more in children between 9 months and 5 years. Maximum number of cases is 67.57%, found in lower and lower middle socioeconomic classes and also 76.56% in urban slums. Measles is more in people residing in overcrowding, 37.2%. Number of cases of measles peaked in October (134 cases) and declined in January (34 cases). It was found that 78.34% of cases are partially or unvaccinated. Around 21% cases had documented history of having taken two doses of measles-containing vaccine. COVID-19 pandemic and its lockdown were responsible for 67.2% of cases of nonvaccination. Other reasons not to be vaccinated are also mentioned. Postmeasles complication like pneumonia is seen in 384 patients, out of which 74.2% were unvaccinated or partially vaccinated. Majority of the patients had either moderate acute malnutrition (264 cases) or severe acute malnutrition (371 cases). Conclusion: There is an urgent need to strengthen not only our Measles–Rubella (MR) vaccine drive but also overall routine immunization; otherwise, another vaccine-preventable disease like whooping cough may stare at us in 2023 too. Clinical significance: Resurgence of measles in Ahmedabad was restricted to malnourished, unvaccinated/partially vaccinated, and poor children living in slums/chawls with overcrowding. Intensified MR vaccination campaign in these pockets seems to be a sure-shot way to prevent measles outbreaks.