Abstract

ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND:
Remains a common disease in many parts of the world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 20 million people worldwide are affected by measles each year. It is the leading cause of vaccine-preventable deaths among young children.
OBJECTIVE:
To find out the epidemiological criteria of died patients because of measles& the main causes of death.
PATIENTS AND METHODS:
Prospective study carried out in the pediatric ward of Al-Kadmyia Teaching Hospital between the 1st of January to the 1st of May 2009,the total number of measles cases admitted were 894 , the number of died cases in the same period due to measles were 52 case , the age of the studied sample (1month- 10 years).
The data collected through a data sheet asked to the parents of the patient including the age ,sex, body weight, feeding history, history of contact, vaccination history , maternal vaccination status and her educational level.
All the patients examined systematically and investigated and followed up till discharged or unfortunately died
RESULTS:
The age of the died cases mostly in the 1st2years(27 case), there is male(31) , female(21) died cases.
The mortality occur more in under weight cases27 , the died cases were either on mixed feeding 17cases, bottle feeding 10, solid feeding 25 cases.
All the died cases had history of contact with measles., there were 49 cases non-vaccinated, the vaccination status of the mothers were 38 mother were not vaccinated. The educational level of the mothers were 29 illitrate,15 primary and 8 secondary school.
The most common causes of death :16 encephalitis, 36 pneumonia.
CONCLUSION:
The death occurs more in infants and toddlers than in other age groups, more in males,underweight, and the non-vaccinated than in the vaccinated patients.
Death is more common among children belong to non-vaccinated, illiterate mothers.
Pneumonia is the most frequent complication of measles and encephalitis is the most lethal complication.