Biomedical subjects

C Ruwodo

Publications and source records attributed to C Ruwodo.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1998

Challenges posed by changes in measles transmission patterns.

OBJECTIVE: To quantify changes in measles transmission patterns. DESIGN: Analysis of measles surveillance data. SUBJECTS: All measles cases identified in 1988. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Proportion of cases in age group 60 to 119 months, proportions of vaccinated and unvaccinated cases in age group 60 to 119 months, and occurrence of cases in schools. RESULTS: Measles vaccination coverage was 91%. Incidence rate of measles was 205 per 100,000 population. The age group 60 to 119 months accounted for 49% of all reported cases and 68% of cases in this age group were vaccinated. There were measles epidemics in schools and these were associated with occurrence of secondary cases in younger siblings in the community. Case fatality rate and mortality rate were 0.4% and one per 100,000 population respectively. CONCLUSION: High measles transmission in children of school going age could spill into the community through generation of secondary cases among younger siblings and this could result in high morbidity and mortality in this vulnerable group. It is recommended that either revaccination at school entry or mass vaccination campaigns be carried out in affected age groups at schools to reduce occurrence of epidemics.

Age Distribution↗

PubMed1995

Questioning the level of efficacy of the measles vaccine in use in Zimbabwe.

A prospective study was carried out between 1987 and 1989 in the City of Gweru (Zimbabwe) to assess the efficacy of the measles vaccine. The vaccine efficacy assessment was carried out on an epidemiological basis by relating measles transmission in the vaccinated and unvaccinated children aged 10 to 23 months. Measles cases were identified on the basis of a standard case definition and data on occurrence of measles cases was collected through an active surveillance system. Efficacies of 73 pc, 82 pc and 77 pc were calculated for the years 1987, 1988 and 1989 respectively. Over the three year period mean efficacy was found to be 77 pc (95 pc confidence interval 75 to 79 pc). The vaccine efficacies found in this study were lower than 85 pc which is the officially accepted efficacy of the measles vaccine that is in use in Zimbabwe. The low vaccine efficacy found in this study is attributed to the fact that the measles vaccine is applied (at nine months of age) when probably 10 to 20 pc of children still have prenatally acquired maternal antibodies. It is suggested that further studies be carried out in Zimbabwe to enable the country to define the way forward.

Age Distribution↗

PubMed1995

Is the protection afforded measles vaccinees the same in children of all age groups?

A prospective study was carried out in the City of Gweru in 1988 to examine the relationship between age and protection afforded measles vaccinees by the measles vaccine. The age group 10 months to nine years accounted for 240 cases or 87 pc of the 276 measles cases reported in 1988. The disease had shifted towards older age groups with children aged 10 to 59 months accounting for 105 cases or 43.7 pc and those aged five to nine years accounting for 135 cases or 56.3 pc of the 240 measles cases reported in the age group 10 months to nine years. In all the sub-age groups of the age group 10 months to nine years i.e. 10 to 23 months, 24 to 35 months, 36 to 47 months etc. the proportion of vaccinated cases was more than that of unvaccinated cases and the incidence rates in the unvaccinated population were all higher than in the vaccinated population. A correlation of age and relative risk (relative risk was calculated for each sub-age group) showed a significant negative trend (correlation coefficient = -0.79; p = 0.012).

Age Distribution↗