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Higher measles mortality found in malnourished Somali refugees
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Detecting when someone was malnourished and making sure that person was vaccinated were key strategies to reduce measles deaths among Somali refugees, according to a study published recently.
Abdirahman Mahamud, MD, of the Global Immunization Division at CDC, and colleagues reported results from a retrospective cohort study of 388 patients with measles that was conducted between June 2010 and September 2011 at three different hospitals, identified in the study as refugee hospitals “X” “Y” and “Z.” Patients ranged in age from 15 to 29 years.
“Independent risk factors for measles mortality were neurological complications, acute malnutrition, and admission to hospital Z,” the study authors wrote.
The researchers noted that in the last hospital, the rate of time from rash onset to admission was typically higher, which could have led to higher death rates.
Mahamud and colleagues noted that their data highlight the importance of early identification of problems like neurological complications and malnutrition. The data highlight the importance of following WHO’s two-dose recommendations on vaccination, the investigators said.
Disclosure:Mahamud reports no relevant financial disclosures.
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