THE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF MEASLES IN BAUCHI STATE NIGERIA
THE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF MEASLES IN BAUCHI STATE NIGERIA
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Date
1986-09
Authors
BUKBUK, DAVID HADEBA
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Abstract
Measles in Nigeria and most developing- countries is endemic
and major canse of childhood morbidity and mortality, where
malnutrition is high compled with inadequate vaccination
activities, The disease is known to bring a treumetic experience
to children the world over. It is with this background together
with the daily pathetic situations in most clinice in Bauchi
State, Nigeria, of Mothers bringing in their children and some
drying from clinical cases of measles and its complications that
prompted this study.
The study is therefore, and attempt to analyse the impact
of the massvascination activities before and after the lunching
of the expanded programme on Immunisation in 1979 and the current
revised E.P.I. Programme Launched in 1985 in the State, on the
overran incidence of Measles and deaths due to measles. It also
became pertinet to access the Immunity status, perticipations in
the Immunisation Programme, and response (Seroconversion) to Measles
Vaccines used during the two compaigne.
Monthly Measles cases, deaths and also vaccination data
retrieved from medical records between 1977 and 1984 were analysesd.
A total of 32,395 measles cases and 1966 deaths due to
measles were notified, with 675,169 doses-of the vaccines adminis
tered during the same period, A considerable decline in the
overall incidences of Measles Cases during the precampaign period
from 6,960,661 cases increased steadily to over 10,000 cases
in 1983, even after the launching of the mass Vaccination compaign.
The age distribution of those cases revealed the 1-4 year
age group being mostly afflicted, followed by the 5-14 year
olds. The cases were less in the under 1 year and over 15 year
old age groups. The transmission of Measles was continous throughout
the period of observation, 1977 - 1984. With cases reported
monthly. There were two patterns of epidemic transmissions,
One major and other minor, with incidences peaking up from
February to May annually, and between August to November
respectively. Urban centres contributed 76% of the total
cases of Measles in the area, which could be seen as foci
of transmission to the rural areas, with the movements of
young children and Mothers during the agricultural cycles and
theopening/closing of schools and the low relative humidity
in the dry seasons which enhances the spread of the measles
Virus being speculated, as of determinants of the seasonality
of Measles in the area.
A Serological study carried out on 439 randomly collected
serumsamples in the state indicated that 54% had Measles HAI
titer greater than 1:8, which indicates protective Immunity.
There was no significant difference in the prevalence rates
of Measles antibody between Males/females, however, antibody
levels in Females were marginally higher than in Males.
Amongst residents of urban-rural Centres a significant diffeehce
(p<o.Ol) in Measles immunity status was observed.
There was also a significant difference, (P<0.Ol) in the
prevalence rate of Measles antibody between the pre-school
and the school aged children in the area, with more children
in the later showing evidence of immunity to Mealses. The
prevalence rate of antibody in the lower social class is
higher (62%) as against 38% in the higher social class and
is highly significant (P<O.0l). However, more of the preschool
and school aged children in the hgiher social group
showed a higher antibody prevalence rate relative to some
in the lower social group.
The national Measles Vaccination Programme has not lowed
' the number of individuals sussceptible to the disease
due to low vaccination coverage. Hence the EPI campaign
launched in 1979, showed little impact on Measles Cases,
its epidemiology, deaths due to the diseass and the overall
immunity state of the people, therefore, for the present
revised FPI mass compaign to be successful, it should take
into account the sessonality of the Measles epidemics as it
relates to the epidemiology and human behavioral
patterns in changing the incidence of measles in the community,
A continous serological surveillance to monitor the immunity
status of the people and Seroconversion to the Measles
vaccines is necessary.
Description
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE
POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY IN
PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE
OF MASTER OF SCIENCE
DEPARTMENT OF MICROBIOLOGY
FACULTY OF SCIENCE
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA
Keywords
EPIDEMIOLOGY,, MEASLES,, BAUCHI STATE,, NIGERIA,