Measles in developing countries

BMJ 2006; 333 doi: 10.1136/bmj.39058.361620.BE (Published 14 December 2006)
Cite this as: BMJ 2006;333:1234

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  1. Neal A Halsey, professor (nhalsey@jhsph.edu)
  1. 1Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA

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

    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 …

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