Measles Burden: Bangladesh

In large parts of the world vaccination has successfully eliminated measles as a significant causes of morbidity & mortality. However, an estimated 4,54,000 measles deaths were still recorded worldwide in 2004, half of which occurred in Africa. Measles virus is highly infections & is transmitted by aerosols generated during coughing or by direct contact with contaminated respiratory secretion, After an incubation time of almost two weeks, disease starts with a prodromal phase of fever cough &coryza. A few days later a generalized maculopapular skin rash appears, often in combination with conjuctivities. measles is associated with a transient butprofound immunosuppression, resulting in an increased susceptibility to opportunistic infections. This often leads to complications like pneumonia, diarrhoea & otitis media which are the most important determinants of measles morbidity & mortality. Paradoxically, the disease is also associated with the induction of strong measles virus specific humoral & cellular immune response, resulting in life-long immunity.