Frequency of Complications of Measles, 1963

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Abstract
A postal inquiry into the frequency of complications in 55,589 notified cases of measles in 47 large boroughs in England and Wales was carried out during the first 4 months of 1963. Information was obtained on 53,008 (95%) of the cases. About 1 in every 15 persons with measles suffered from a potentially serious complication and 12 patients died. Incidence of complications was highest in infants and adults, but there was no difference between sexes. Severe bronchitis or pneumonia was reported in 38/1,000 cases; the rate in infants was nearly twice that in older children. Otitis media, the second most common complication, occurred in 25/1,000 cases and showed little variation with age or sex. Neurological disturbances occurred in approximately 4/1,000 cases and 1 of the 4 had encephalitis or impaired consciousness. Fits and other motor disturbances were commoner in males than in females. Other complications were few. Just over 1% of all cases were admitted to hospital. Admissions were most frequently infants and adults. Electroencephalographic studies of 16 children reported to have had encephalitis or impaired consciousness with measles up to 6 months earlier showed mild but definite abnormalities in all but 2 cases.