Spectrum of measles complications in 942 children in Kinshasa, Zaire

Measles is an acute, communicable, disease characterized by cough, coryza, conjunctivitis, a confluent erythematous maculopapular rash and Koplik's spots. The measles virus is classified as RNA containing paramyxovirus with only one antigenic type known. Measles case fatality rates, for all age groups, have decreased because of improved socio-economic conditions and effective antibacterial therapy for secondary infections. In the West, death, often from respiratory and neurological complications, has occurred in 1 per 1,000 cases. In 1989 there were 41 measles associated deaths in the United States, giving a mortality of less than 1 per 500 cases (1). However, in Zaire case fatality remains as high as 10 percent.