Relationship between measles, malnutrition, and blindness: a prospective study in Indian children.

A prospective study was conducted in slum children to determine the incidence of post-measles corneal disease and to clarify its relationship with nutritional status. A total of 318 cases of measles were identified over a period of 15 mo; maximum incidence was observed for children between 1-2 yr. Most of the children showed weight loss and serum proteins decrease during the acute stage of measles.

Immunological response to measles vaccination in poor communities.

Cell-mediated immune response, antibody titres and morbidity were measured among children residing in a slum area following measles vaccination. Effect of malnutrition on the development of protective levels of antibody titres was also investigated. Of the vaccinated children 87 per cent had antibody titres above 1:8 and nutritional status had no influence on this.

Pathogenesis of corneal lesions in measles.

The mechanism of pathogenesis underlying the development of corneal lesions in measles was investigated in 125 children suffering from measles and 66 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Forty age-matched children with bronchopneumonia were investigated on similar lines to delineate the role played by vitamin A and measles individually in the development of corneal lesions. The results indicate that the pathogenesis of corneal lesions in measles is indeed multifactorial.