Determinants of Measles Mortality in a Rural Area of Guinea-Bissau: Crowding, Age, and Malnutrition

Abstract

Malnutrition has been considered the major determinant of high measles mortality. Data from a rural area of Guinea-Bissau suggest that overcrowding and age may be more important as determinants than nutritional status. Case fatality rate was significantly higher in houses with several cases than in homes with only a single case. Measles vaccination may contribute to increased survival rates by limiting the number of infections, raising the mean age of attack, and by impeding clustering of cases.