Current course of measles in adults (a literature review)

Authors

  • Yu. Yu. Riabokon , MD, PhD, DSc, Professor of the Department of Children Infectious Diseases, Zaporizhzhia State Medical University, Ukraine.,
  • S. O. Bilokobyla Zaporizhzhia State Medical University, Ukraine,
  • O. V. Riabokon Zaporizhzhia State Medical University, Ukraine,

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14739/2310-1210.2019.5.179480

Keywords:

measles, diagnosis, complications

Abstract

 

Measles is a highly contagious acute infectious disease of viral etiology. Thanks to the widespread use of measles vaccine in the European Region in the early 2000s, WHO set a goal to achieve measles elimination. An essential feature of measles during the period of elimination was the predominance of cases among adults.

The purpose of the work is to analyze the literature data on the peculiarities of the current course of measles in adults.

According to the WHO, in 2017–2018 inEurope, including Ukraine, there was a significant increase in the number of people with measles. The rise in the incidence of measles in modern conditions is characterized by a change in the genotypes of circulating viruses. The data of modern medical literature show that a significant feature of measles outbreaks in recent years is the predominance of cases among adults, the incidence of measles among medical workers who were vaccinated against measles. The clinical picture of measles in adults remains typical; however, unlike measles in children, it is characterized by a greater incidence of complications. The development of pneumonia and encephalitis is the most severe and life-threatening. Pneumonia is a frequent complication of measles in adults over 20 years of age, the incidence of which in adults, according to different studies, ranges from 14 % to 66 %, but the most patients need oxygen therapy. The risk of measles encephalitis occurs during the rash onset and mortality rate depends on the age of patients in this complication: 25 % in adults versus 5 % in children. In adult patients with measles, liver damage is recorded much more often than in children, with the prevalence of cytolytic syndrome, sometimes with the development of jaundice, but is characterized by a benign clinical course. In the literature, there are reports of enteritis and pancreatitis development in patients with measles. Data on the course of measles in pregnant women warrant special attention due to such adverse effects as abortions, premature births, and stillbirths. Measles is a controlled infection, therefore vaccination, including adults, is the main focus in the fight against this disease.

Conclusions. In modern conditions, there is a high incidence of measles in adults, primarily due to the low level of community immunity. The prevalence of adults among measles patients is an important feature of this infection outbreak in recent years. The clinical picture of measles in adults retains typical symptoms, but the course is characterized by a high risk of a wide range of complications, the most severe of which are pneumonia and measles encephalitis. It is possible to achieve success in the fight against measles through the effective vaccination coverage.

References

World Health Organization (2011). Measles initiative partners gear up to tackle challenges ahead. Global Immunization News, 9, 4.

Tsvirkun, O. V., Gerasimova, A. G., Tikhonova, N. T., Turaeva, N. V., & Pimenova, A. S. (2012). Struktura zabolevshikh kor'yu v period e'liminacii [The Structure of the Measles Cases in the Period of Elimination]. E'pidemiologiya i vakcinoprofilaktika, 2(63), 21–25. [in Russian]

WHO Regional Office for Europe (2003). Strategic plan for measles and congenital rubella infection in the European Region of WHO. Copenhagen. Retrieved from http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/79022/E81567.pdf

Volianska, L. A. (2016). Epidemichni realii koru na Ternopilshchyni [Epidemic realities of measles in the Ternopil region]. Aktual'naya infektologiya, 2(11), 98–103. [in Ukrainian

(2013). Report of the sixty-third session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe. Çeşme Izmir, Turkey, 16–19 September 2013. Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe. Retrieved from http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/234734/Report-of-the-sixty-third-session-of-the-WHO-Regional-Committee-for-Europe-w-pictures-Eng.pdf?ua=1

Moiseieva, H. V., Zadorozhna, V. I., Demchyshyna, I. V., & Novyk, L. V. (2010). Monitorinh populiatsiinoho imunitetu proty koru naselennia Ukrainy [Monitoring of population`s immunity is against measles of population in Ukraine]. Infektsiini khvoroby, 3, 10–15. [in Ukrainian]

World Health Organisation (2013). Framework for verifying elimination of measles and rubella. Weekly epidemiological record, 88(9), 89–98.

WHO Regional Office for Europe (2013). Surveillance guidelines for measles, rubella and congenital rubella syndrome in the WHO European Region. Update December 2012. Retrieved from http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/79020/e93035-2013.pdf

Moiseieva, A. (2010). Kontseptsiia eliminatsii koru [The concept of elimination measles]. Sovremennaya pediatriya, 6, 21–24. [in Ukrainian]

Kramarov, S. O., Yevtushenko, V. V., Kovalyukh, I. Yu., Kaminska, T. M., & Golovach, O. V. (2018). Klinichna kartyna koru v ditei, hospitalizovanykh pid chas spalakhu 2017–2018 rr. [Clinical features of measles in children hospitalized during 2017–2018 outbreak]. Aktualna infektolohiia, 6(5), 240–245. doi: 10.22141/2312-413x.6.5.2018.146773

Rota, P. A., Brown, K., Mankertz, A., Santibanez, S., Shulga, S., Muller, C. P., et al. (2011). Global Distribution of Measles Genotypes and Measles Molecular Epidemiology. The Journal Of Infectious Diseases, 204(suppl_1), S514–S523. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jir118

Grammens, T., Maes, V., Hutse, V., Laisnez, V., Schirvel, C., Trémérie, J., & Sabbe, M. (2016). Different measles outbreaks in Belgium, January to June 2016 – a challenge for public health. Eurosurveillance, 21(32). doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.es.2016.21.32.30313

George, F., Valente, J., Augusto, G., Silva, A., Pereira, N., Fernandes, T., et al. (2017). Measles outbreak after 12 years without endemic transmission, Portugal, February to May 2017. Eurosurveillance, 22(23). doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.es.2017.22.23.30548

Trykhlib, V. I., Shchur, A. B., Hrushkevych, V. V., Hryshyn, O. S., Pavlovska, M. O., Musiienko, T. I., et al. (2018). Osoblyvosti klinichnykh proiaviv ta perebihu koru [Peculiarities of measles clinical manifestations and course]. Aktualna infektolohiia, 6(3), 141–152. doi: 10.22141/2312-413x.6.3.2018.136647 [in Ukrainian]

Kremer, J., Brown, K., Jin, L., Santibanez, S., Shulga, S., Aboudy, Y.б et al. (2008). High Genetic Diversity of Measles Virus, World Health Organization European Region, 2005–2006. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 14(1), 107–114. doi: 10.3201/eid1401.070778

Werber, D., Hoffmann, A., Santibanez, S., Mankertz, A., & Sagebiel, D. (2017). Large measles outbreak introduced by asylum seekers and spread among the insufficiently vaccinated resident population, Berlin, October 2014 to August 2015. Eurosurveillance, 22(34). doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.es.2017.22.34.30599

Lancella, L., Di Camillo, C., Vittucci, A., Boccuzzi, E., Bozzola, E., & Villani, A. (2017). Measles lessons in an anti-vaccination era: public health is a social duty, not a political option. Italian Journal of Pediatrics, 43(1), 102. doi: 10.1186/s13052-017-0420-6

Grammens, T., Schirvel, C., Leenen, S., Shodu, N., Hutse, V., Mendes da Costa, E., & Sabbe, M. (2017). Ongoing measles outbreak in Wallonia, Belgium, December 2016 to March 2017: characteristics and challenges. Eurosurveillance, 22(17). doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.es.2017.22.17.30524

Dahanayaka, N., Pahalagamage, S., Ganegama, R., Weerawansa, P., & Agampodi, S. (2015). The 2013 measles outbreak in Sri Lanka: experience from a rural district and implications for measles elimination goals. Infectious Diseases of Poverty, 4, 51. doi: 10.1186/s40249-015-0084-7

Yasunaga, H., Shi, Y., Takeuchi, M., Horiguchi, H., Hashimoto, H., Matsuda, S., & Ohe, K. (2010). Measles-related Hospitalizations and Complications in Japan, 2007–2008. Internal Medicine, 49(18), 1965–1970. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.49.3843

Amendola, A., Bianchi, S., Frati, E., Ciceri, G., Faccini, M., Senatore, S., et al. (2017). Ongoing large measles outbreak with nosocomial transmission in Milan, northern Italy, March – August 2017. Eurosurveillance, 22(33). doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.es.2017.22.33.30596

Laksono, B. M., de Vries, R. D., McQuaid, S., Duprex, W. P., & de Swart, R. L. (2016). Measles Virus Host Invasion and Pathogenesis. Viruses, 8(8). doi: 10.3390/v8080210

Ludlow, M., McQuaid, S., Milner, D., de Swart, R., & Duprex, W. (2014). Pathological consequences of systemic measles virus infection. The Journal of Pathology, 235(2), 253–265. doi: 10.1002/path.4457

de Vries, R., & de Swart, R. (2014). Measles Immune Suppression: Functional Impairment or Numbers Game? Plos Pathogens, 10(12), e1004482. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1004482

Laksono, B. M., Grosserichter-Wagener, C., de Vries, R. D., Langeveld, S. A. G., Brem, M. D., van Dongen, J. J. M., et al. (2018). In Vitro Measles Virus Infection of Human Lymphocyte Subsets Demonstrates High Susceptibility and Permissiveness of both Naive and Memory B Cells. Journal of Virology, 92(8), e00131-18. doi: 10.1128/jvi.00131-18

Ge, Y. L., Zhai, X. W., Zhu, Y.F., Wang, X. S., Xia, A. M., Li, Y. F., & Zeng, M. (2017). Measles Outbreak in Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Patients in Shanghai, 2015. Chinese Medical Journal, 130(11), 1320–1326. doi: 10.4103/0366-6999.206358

Xu, Z. W., Chen, Y. P., Yang, M. J., Li, W. C., Liu, Q., & Lin, J. (2014). The epidemiological and clinical characteristics of measles in Wenzhou, China, 2000–2010. Epidemiology and Infection, 142(1), 20–7. doi: 10.1017/S0950268813000411

Premaratna, R., Luke, N., Perera, H., Gunathilake, M., Amarasena, P., & Chandrasena, T. (2017). Sporadic cases of adult measles: a research article. BMC Research Notes, 10, 38. doi: 10.1186/s13104-017-2374-6

Monfort, L., Muñoz, D., Trenchs, V., Hernández, S., García, J. J., Aguilar, C. A., et al. (2010). Measles outbreak in Barselona. Clinical and epidemiological characteristics. Enfermedades Infecciosas Y Microbiología Clínica, 28(2), 82–86. doi: 10.1016/j.eimc.2009.05.006

Bassetti, M., Schenone, E., Calzi, A., Camera, M., Valle, L., Ansaldi, F., et al. (2011). Measles outbreak in adults in Italy. Infez Med., 19(1), 16–9.

Antona, D., Lévy-Bruhl, D., Baudon, C., Freymuth, F., Lamy, M., Maine, C., et al. (2013). Measles Elimination Efforts and 2008–2011 Outbreak, France. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 19(3), 357–364. doi: 10.3201/eid1903.121360

Caseris, M., Houhou, N., Longuet, P., Rioux, C., Lepeule, R., Choquet, C., et al. (2014). French 2010–2011 measles outbreak in adults: report from a Parisian teaching hospital. Clinical Microbiology and Infection, 20(4), O242–O244. doi: 10.1111/1469-0691.12384

Fisher, D., Defres, S., & Solomon, T. (2015). Measles-induced encephalitis. QJM, 108(3), 177–182. doi: 10.1093/qjmed/hcu113

Dinh, A., Fleuret, V., & Hanslik, T. (2013). Liver involvement in adults with measles. International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 17(12), e1243-e1244. doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2013.06.014

Gavish, D., Kleinman, Y., Morag, A., & Chajek-Shaul, T. (1983) Hepatitis and Jaundice Associated With Measles in Young Adults: An Analysis of 65 Cases. Arch Intern Med., 143(4), 674–677. doi: 10.1001/archinte.1983.00350040064008

Zhang, Z., Zhao, Y., Yang, L., Lu, C., Meng, Y., Guan, X., et al. (2016). Measles Outbreak among Previously Immunized Adult Healthcare Workers, China, 2015. Canadian Journal Of Infectious Diseases And Medical Microbiology, 2016, 1742530. doi: 10.1155/2016/1742530

Fusilli, G., & De Mitri, B. (2009). Acute Pancreatitis Associated With the Measles Virus. Pancreas, 38(4), 478–480. doi: 10.1097/mpa.0b013e31818a3947

Kramariev, S. A. (2008). Kir (klinichna lektsiia) [Measles (clinical lecture)]. Simeina medytsyna, 4, 41–43. [in Ukrainian].

Bichon, A., Aubry, C., Benarous, L., Drouet, H., Zandotti, C., Parola, P., & Lagier, J. (2017). Case report: Ribavirin and vitamin A in a severe case of measles. Medicine (Baltimore), 96(50), e9154. doi: 10.1097/md.0000000000009154

Ortac Ersoy, E., Tanriover, M., Ocal, S., Ozisik, L., Inkaya, C., & Topeli, A. (2015). Severe measles pneumonia in adults with respiratory failure: role of ribavirin and high-dose vitamin A. The Clinical Respiratory Journal, 10(5), 673–675. doi: 10.1111/crj.12269

World Health Organisation (2011). Meeting of the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on immunization, April 2011 – conclusions and recommendations. Weekly epidemiological record, 86(21), 205–220.

World Health Organisation (2013). Progress in global control and regional elimination of measles, 2000–2011. Weekly epidemiological record, 88(3), 29–36.

Shostakovych-Koretska, L. R., Mavrutenkov, V. V., Cherhinets, A. V., Budaieva, I. V., Yakunina, O. M., & Chykarenko, Z. A. (2013). Kir (lektsiia, prodovzhennia) [Measles (lecture, continuing)]. Medychni perspektyvy, XVIII (4), 4–15. [in Ukrainian].

Downloads

How to Cite

1.
Riabokon YY, Bilokobyla SO, Riabokon OV. Current course of measles in adults (a literature review). Zaporozhye medical journal [Internet]. 2019Oct.1 [cited 2024Apr.25];(5). Available from: http://zmj.zsmu.edu.ua/article/view/179480

Issue

Section

Review