Measles in adults during epidemic ill-being: retrospective study

G.A. Kharchenko, O.G. Kimirilova

Astrakhan State Medical University, Astrakhan

Background: тeasles is an anthroponous airborne infection with a high susceptibility in all age groups of the population. For 6 months of 2019, 3251 cases of measles were registered in 64 regions of Russia, which indicated a tense epidemic situation of measles.

Aim: to establish the clinical and epidemiological patterns of measles in adults in Astrakhan region (AR) during epidemic ill-being.

Patients and Methods: epidemiological data, main symptoms and incidence depending on the period and severity of the disease were analyzed in a retrospective study (this study included 382 patients with measles (aged 18 to 60 years) for the period from January 2013 to July 2019).

Results: it was found that 64 of 382 patients (17%) were not vaccinated against measles, 85 of 382 (22%) had no vaccination history, and 8 of 382 (2%) refused vaccination. Measles in adults of all age groups (vaccinated and unvaccinated) occurred typically with a predominance of moderate degree in 85% of patients. Koplik’s spots were detected in 32%, stage manifestation of maculopapular rash — in 100%, and pigmentation — in 81% of patients. Mild course of measles was observed in 208 (54%) patients. The causes of moderate course were bronchitis (in 64 patients (16%)) and pneumonia (in 12 patients (3%)). Exacerbation of concomitant somatic diseases was recorded in 98 (25%) patients. Preliminary diagnoses in 236 patients during the subclinical period of measles were the following: acute respiratory viral infection (ARVI) — in 78 (33%), measles — in 158 (67%); during the rash period (146 patients) — measles in 124 (85%), rubella — in 5 (3.4%), ARVI, toxic and allergic reaction — in 15 (10.3%), infectious mononucleosis — in 2 (1.3%) patients.

Conclusions: the populat ion with measles aged 18 to 29 years dominates in AR. The share of seronegative individuals in the indicator groups of AR population in 2013–2018 was from 15.7% to 23.8%. Registration of measles in adults (vaccinated and revaccinated) might be associated with a decrease in post-vaccination immunity. All this indicates the need for additional revaccination against measles.

Keywords: measles, adults, epidemiology, incidence, clinical picture, vaccination.

For citation: Kharchenko G.A., Kimirilova O.G. Measles in adults during epidemic ill-being: retrospective study. RMJ. 2020;12:61–64.