Clinical and epidemiological aspects of measles in children in the Astrakhan region

Objective. The purpose was to study and describe the clinical and epidemiological situation of measles in children of the Astrakhan region in 2018-2022.

Materials and methods. From 2018 to 2022, 259 cases of measles were registered in the Astrakhan region, of which the child population amounted to 71.8% (186 people). Measles cases have been reported in children of all ages. The clinical diagnosis was made based on the data of the clinical picture of the disease, complaints, epidemiological history and laboratory data (detection of specific IgM class antibodies by enzyme immunoassay (ELISA).

Results. All children who were diagnosed with measles were conditionally divided into three age groups: the first age group (children aged from 1 month to 1 year), the second age group (ages 1-7 years) and the third age group (7-17 years). Considering the presence of complaints, according to age groups, it can be noted that laryngitis was noted in children of the first age group. The presence of pharyngitis was noted by 61.6% (45 people). Also, children of this group had a runny nose – 80.2% (59 people), conjunctivitis – 67.1%, candidiasis – 93.2% (68 people). In rare cases, stomatitis was detected in children of group 1 – 19.2% (14 people). In children of the second age group, complaints of fever, laryngitis and pharyngeal hyperemia were noted in all cases. Pharyngitis was noted by 69.5% (66 people), and the presence of a runny nose and conjunctivitis – 77.9% (74 people) and 74.7% (71 people), respectively. In rare cases, stomatitis and candidiasis were observed in children – 35.8% (34 people) and 28.4% (27 people), respectively. In children of the third group, as well as in the previous groups, fever and pharyngeal hyperemia were noted in all cases. But unlike children of the first and second groups, the most frequent complaints of children in this group were conjunctivitis, runny nose and laryngitis – 83.3% (15 people), 61.1% (11 people) and 55.6% (10 people), respectively. In rare cases, pharyngitis and stomatitis were noted in children – 38.9% each (7 people each) and candidiasis – 16.7% (3 people). After the final diagnosis was established, all patients were treated with medication.

Conclusion. In recent years, the number of measles cases among children has been noticeably decreasing, as evidenced by the above data. Measles cases were more often reported in children of the first age group – 39.2% (73 people) and the second age group – 51.1% (95 people). The largest number of measles cases was recorded in children living in the urban district – 73.7% (137 people). The main complaints of patients with measles were the presence of fever, pharyngeal hyperemia and laryngitis.

1. Egorova E. A., Kraskov A. V., Vasilkova V. V., Razgildeeva R. R. Features of violation of the metabolic system of micro-macrophages in patients with angina. Astrakhanskii meditsinskii zhurnal. 2010; 5-2: 40-43. (In Russ.)

2. Kasimova N. B., Galimzyanov H. M., Sherysheva Yu. V. Difficulties and successes of antiviral therapy of chronic viral hepatitis C. Astrakhanskii meditsinskii zhurnal. 2019; 14-2: 6-15. (In Russ.)

3. Mirekina E. V., Galimzyanov H. M., Bedlinskaya N. R. The role of the imbalance of the oxidant-antioxidant system in the development of hemocoagulation disorders in certain infectious diseases. Astrakhanskii meditsinskii zhurnal. 2017; 12-2: 15-22. (In Russ.)

4. Mirekina E. V., Galimzyanov H. M., Cherenova L. P., Bedlinskaya N. R. Analysis of the current epidemiological situation and clinical manifestations of Crimean hemorrhagic fever in the Astrakhan region. Astrakhanskii meditsinskii zhurnal. 2019; 14-4: 36-45. (In Russ.)

5. Timchenko V. N., Pavlova E. B., Fedyuchek O. O., Ivanova R. A., Pavlova N. V., Minchenko S. I. Measles in children in modern conditions. Emergency conditions in children. Pediatricheskaya farmakologiya. 2012; 9-6: 12-15. (In Russ.)

6. Крамарев С. А., Выговская О. В., Шпак И. В. Состояние некоторых цитокинов при кори у детей. Актуальная инфектология. 2019; 7-4: 196-203. Kramarev S. A., Vygovskaya O. V., Shpak I. V. The state of some cytokines in measles in children. Aktualnaya infektologiya. 2019; 7-4: 196-203. (In Russ.)

7. Chechetova S. V., Khalupko E. A., Kadyrova R. M. Measles and enterovirus exanthema in children, problems of differential diagnosis at the present stage. Vestnik Kyrgyzskoi gosudarstvennoi meditsinskoi akademii imeni K. A. Akhunbaeva. 2023; 4: 162-168. (In Russ.)

8. Ivanova I. A., Ponezheva Zh. B., Kozlova M. S., Vdovina E. T., Tsvetkova N. A. Features of the course of measles in adults. Lechaschi Vrach. 2018; 11: 36-39. (In Russ.)

9. Kharchenko G. A., Kimirilova O. G. Clinical and epidemiological features of measles in children of the Astrakhan region. Detskie infektsii. 2019; 18-3 (68): 31-36. (In Russ.)

10. Kimirilova O. G., Kharchenko G. A. Clinical and epidemiological characteristics of measles in children in the Astrakhan region. Lechaschi Vrach. 2020; 4: 32. (In Russ.)

11. Mulenkova A. V. Clinical aspects of the course of measles in unvaccinated children. Rossiiskii pediatricheskii zhurnal. 2023; 26-S5: 47. (In Russ.)

12. Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Well-being. The State report "On the state of sanitary and epidemiological welfare of the population in the Russian Federation in 2018". Moscow: Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Well-being. 2019; 375 p. (In Russ.)

13. Savenkova M. S. Measles (Morbilli) today: problems, statistics, clinical aspects of the course in children and adults. Voprosy prakticheskoi pediatrii. 2020; 15-4: 54-61. (In Russ.)

14. Madumarova M. M., Yakubova R. M., Bazarova A. M., Zhalolov I. A. Effectiveness indicator of measles vaccination in frequently ill children. Economika and sotsium. 2022; 6-1 (97): 696-701. (In Russ.)

15. Rahhal H. Measles in children. Studencheskii forum. 2023; 41-1 (264): 1-24. (In Russ.)

16. Mazankova L. N., Belyaeva N. M., Gorbunov S. G., Nesterina I. F. Measles in children and adults at the elimination stage. Textbook. M.: MEDpress-inform, 2018. 68 p. (In Russ.)

17. Kucherenko N. P., Golosnoy E. V., Bobrovitskaya A. I. Modern aspects of the clinic, diagnosis and treatment of measles in children. Vestnik gigieny i epidemiologii. 2019; 23-3: 251-253. (In Russ.)

18. Molochkova O. V., Kovalev O. B., Kosyreva M. A. Characteristics of measles in children during the rise in morbidity in 2019. Detskie infektsii. 2022; 21-4 (81): 27-31. (In Russ.)

19. The Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Protection and Human Welfare. The State report "On the state of sanitary and epidemiological welfare of the population in the Russian Federation in 2022". Moscow: Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Well-being. 2023; 370 p. (In Russ.)