BMJ 1999;319:4-5 ( 3 July )

Editorials

A little bit of measles does you good

Even if measles is eradicated, immunisation may still be desirable in developing countries 

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Measles still kills 800 000 children in developing countries every year,1 although immunisation has substantially reduced the number of deaths. Immunisation lowers mortality primarily by reducing the incidence of measles, but it may also lower mortality by increasing the age at which children are infected and by reducing the severity of infection in immunised children and their contacts.2 Morever, the vaccine itself may reduce mortality from conditions other than measles.

Epidemiological research has shown two important characteristics of measles: the severity of clinical illness is largely determined by the infecting dose, and, surprisingly, mild infection and standard doses of Schwarz vaccine substantially reduce mortality from conditions other than measles.3 Children infected with a large dose of measles virus have a shorter incubation period, more severe disease, and a higher mortality. Children who are infected outside the home (primary cases) have milder disease than secondary cases (who are infected in the household . . . [Full text of this article]
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Relevant Article

Unexpected beneficial effects of measles immunisation
Craig Dalton, David Emerton, Clinton Buckoke, Robin Finlay, Tomas Engler, Frank Shann, and Peter Aaby
BMJ 2000 320: 938. [Extract] [Full Text]

This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Webster, D. E., Cooney, M. L., Huang, Z., Drew, D. R., Ramshaw, I. A., Dry, I. B., Strugnell, R. A., Martin, J. L., Wesselingh, S. L. (2002). Successful Boosting of a DNA Measles Immunization with an Oral Plant-Derived Measles Virus Vaccine. J. Virol. 76: 7910-7912 [Abstract] [Full text]  
  • Fleming, P. J, Blair, P. S, Platt, M. W., Tripp, J., Smith, I. J, Golding, J., the CESDI SUDI research group, (2001). The UK accelerated immunisation programme and sudden unexpected death in infancy: case-control study. BMJ 322: 822-822 [Abstract] [Full text]  
  • Dalton, C., Emerton, D., Buckoke, C., Finlay, R., Engler, T., Shann, F., Aaby, P. (2000). Unexpected beneficial effects of measles immunisation. BMJ 320: 938-938 [Full text]  

Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

Is Measles Vaccine a Marker for Better Preventive Health Care
Craig Dalton
bmj.com, 2 Jul 1999 [Full text]
Who brought measles?
Tomas Engler
bmj.com, 6 Jul 1999 [Full text]
Measles immunisation
Clinton Buckoke
bmj.com, 8 Jul 1999 [Full text]
Measles vaccination and the declining incidence of esotropia
Robin Finlay
bmj.com, 8 Jul 1999 [Full text]
Socioeconomic confounding may also play a role
David Emerton
bmj.com, 20 Jul 1999 [Full text]
Measles immunisation and socioeconomic confounding
Frank Shann
bmj.com, 20 Aug 1999 [Full text]
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