Measles in India.

Measles is an important cause of morbidity and mortality among the children of India. In spite of this it is not considered a serious problem by the health authorities. Practically no cases are reported, and only those children with significant complications are hospitalized. Thus hospital records do not reflect the magnitude of the problem. In recent years attention has been focused on the evaluation of the morbidity and mortality due to measles in India. In the absence of reliable estimates, it is presumed that almost everyone in India suffers from measles before the age of 10 years. Hospital-based studies have found that 20%-70% of children with measles develop minor and major complications. On the basis of the few hospital-based studies and community surveys, it appears that the mortality rate due to measles is 3%-15%, depending on the health-care system in the community. All available data point to the necessity of immunization programs against measles, but logistical and economic constraints have prevented introduction of measles immunization in the Expanded Programme on Immunization. A limited experience with measles vaccine in India has shown that practically no cases occur among immunized children and that seroconversion rates are excellent. It is urgent to create awareness among health authorities, physicians, and health workers of the problem of measles.