REVISÃO DE DADOS DA EPIDEMIOLOGIA E ETIOLOGIA DO SARAMPO E SUBSíDIOS PARA A VACINAÇÃO CONTRA A DOENÇA

Abstract

Measles mortality rates are alanníng in Brazil. The disease occupies in different counties, from second to fourth place as cause of death among infectious and parasitic diseases. Measles kills in Brazil more than Diphteria, Poliomyelitis, Tetanus, Pertussis and Small:pox. The majority of deaths occur at the age of 0-2 years. It was reminded the natural story of measles prevention up to the vaccines they tried. Relations between measles and distemper viruses were commented, including the results of the prior experiences of one of the authors of the work. Comparison between neutralisation and hemagglutination-inhibition tests showed paralel results. Serological appraisal on measles live-virus vaccine and inactivated vaccine showed higher percentage of conversions with live-virus vaccine. On the other side no untoward effects could be demonstrated with the inactivated vaccine; they emphasized the necessity of 3 dosis o f inactivated vaccines to get higher percentage of conversions. Despite fever and scanty rash1 children could play, without catarrhal fenomenons or intensive malaise, when vaccinated with live-virus-vaccine. Electrocardiographic and X-ray studies did not show abnormalities among the live-virus vaccinées. The incidence rates of measles in the nursery dropped from 30 to 50 each year to zero during 1962, when vaccination was started. Only three cases of mild measles were observed in that nursery among the vaccinées during the first 5 months of 1963.