Diarrhoea and immunization: a valuable ally?

Measles immunization appears to be emerging as a cost-effective intervention to reduce the child death rate from diarrhea. It seems that measles infection lowers childhood resistance to diarrheal infections in the environment, and this effect may persist for a significant period. As malnutrition, diarrheal, and other childhood infections interact together to kill, measles immunization needs to be explored as a potential shortcut in diarrheal disease control. Investment in immunization technologies, training, and delivery systems is a worthwhile use of resources because more effective vaccines against acute diarrheal diseases are being developed. Measles immunization may prove to be a valuable ally in the effort to reduce diarrhea morbidity and mortality among young children in the developing countries. At this time, oral rehydration continues as the essential frontline treatment for all acute infectious diarrheas which cause dehydration, whether measles-associated or not.