BMJ  2006;333:1234 (16 December), doi:10.1136/bmj.39058.361620.BE

Editorials

Measles in developing countries

Vitamin A and antibiotics prevent complications, but vaccination remains the priority

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

Widespread vaccination against measles and improvements in clinical care and socioeconomic status have reduced mortality due to measles in many countries.¹ Nevertheless, measles remains an important cause of global morbidity and mortality, with case fatality rates as high as 9.7% in some African children with measles in recent years.^{1 2} Pneumonia, the most common cause of death due to measles, can be caused by the measles virus alone, secondary herpes simplex virus, adenoviruses, or bacterial infections.^{1 3} Factors contributing to increased rates of pneumonia and other complications in developing countries include young age at infection, crowding, and malnutrition, especially vitamin A deficiency.^{1 4}

Antibiotics are often given to children with measles who do not have clinically apparent secondary bacterial infections, but evidence of benefit has been largely anecdotal. In this week's BMJ, a placebo randomised trial by Garly and colleagues supports the effectiveness of co-trimoxazole for preventing pneumonia and secondary bacterial conjunctivitis . . . [Full text of this article]

¹ Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    StumbleUpon    Technorati    What's this?

Relevant Articles

Prophylactic antibiotics to prevent pneumonia and other complications after measles: community based randomised double blind placebo controlled trial in Guinea-Bissau

May-Lill Garly, Carlitos Balé, Cesário Lourenco Martins, Hilton C Whittle, Jens Nielsen, Ida M Lisse, and Peter Aaby
BMJ 2006 333: 1245. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Cost effectiveness analysis of strategies for child health in developing countries

Tessa Tan-Torres Edejer, Moses Aikins, Robert Black, Lara Wolfson, Raymond Hutubessy, and David B Evans
BMJ 2005 331: 1177. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

• (2007). Prophylactic Antibiotics May Prevent Measles Complications. JWatch Emergency Med. 2007: 3-3 [Full text]  

Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

Measles in developing countries: Vitamin A and prophylactic antibiotics

May-Lill Garly, et al.
bmj.com, 28 Jan 2007 [Full text]

Online poll

Find out more >>