Measles at the University College Hospital, Ibadan: An Update

Abstract

Summary: An analysis of 6,894 cases of measles seen at the General Outpatients Department of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, over a period of 5 years (January 1979-December 1983) has shown a definite pattern of seasonal variation in the number of cases seen. The peaks each year were in the months of February and March. The greatest proportion of cases occurred in children aged 12 months and below. The frequency by age gradually decreased as the age increased. In a related study of mortality among 376 children admitted with measles into the Children Emergency Room of the UCH, the case fatality rate over a 3-year period (1981-1983) was 29.3% and mortality was highest in the 13-24 months age group. Although the number of cases admitted as a proportion of the total number of admissions was constant, the mortality rate increased steadily over the study period. The high mortality in all age groups calls for greater efforts at immunizing all children.