Correlation of measles and dengue infection in Kassala, Eastern Sudan.

Using the clinical case definition adopted by the World Health Organization, a total of 275 suspected cases of measles were enrolled in this study during January-March 2012 in Kassala Teaching Hospital, Eastern Sudan. Various clinical manifestations (fever, headache, cough, coryza, conjunctivitis, skin rash, vomiting, diarrhoea, convulsion, and hemorrhagic manifestations) were reported among these patients. Blood was withdrawn from the first 64 (23.3%) patients. Two samples were hemolyzed and only 60 samples (21.8%) were investigated for measles and dengue IgM antibodies. Antibodies for measles, dengue, and co-infection were detected in the plasma of 12 (20%), seven (11.7%), and 10 (16.7%) samples, respectively. Although there was no significant difference in age, residence, occupation, and vaccination status among the different groups, a high proportion of male patients (P = 0.011), severe cases (P = 0.004), and death ((P = 0.001) were reported among co-infected cases.