All issues > Volume 38(7); 1995

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1995;38(7):907-913. Published online July 15, 1995.

Clinical Studies of Measles in Infancy - Emphasizing on Measles Specific IgG Antibody -

Jae Ho JH Lee¹, Shin Hye SH Moon¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine Chungnam National University, Taejon, Korea

Abstract

Purpose
: This study was investigated the efficacy of maternal measles specific IgG antibody and the optimal age for measles vaccination in susceptable infant during epidemics
Methods
: We evaluated the clinical manifestations and complications of 50 measles infants who were clinically and serologically diagnosed as measles and had not been vaccinated acco-rding to the presense of measles specific IgG antibody from Nov.1993 to Jan.1994 in Taejon.
Results
: 1) Out of 50 patients, 31 patients(62%) were measles specific IgG antibody positive (positi-ve group) and 19 patients(38%) were measles specific IgG negative (negative group). Peak age of measles patients were each 7 - 9 month old in positive group and 5-7 month old in negative group(p>0.05). 2) Fever usually developed 2 days prior to the appearance of rash in both positive and negative group. Duration of fever was less than 3 days in 18 cases(58%) of positive group and 4 - 6 days in 12 cases(63%) of negative group(p>0.05). 3) Duration of cough was more than 10 days in 24 cases(77%) of positive group and 7 cases(37%) of negative group(p<0.05). 4) Complications such as pneumonia, otitis media, gastroenteritis, and hepatitis were noted in 39 cases(78%) of all patients and more common in positive group (p>0.05).
Conclusion
: Clinical manifestations and complications were not significantly differed betw-een measles specific IgG positive group and negative group in this study. Measles specific IgG antibody was not detected from 5 month old infants and measles could be infected from 5 mo-nths of age. Early vaccination should be recommended on this age during measles epidemics and revaccination should also be done at 15 month old age.

Keywords :Measles, Maternal measles specific IgG, Vaccination