Peer-reviewed article
Measles Outbreak in Amran Governorate, Yemen (2024): A Retrospective Study Highlighting Vaccination Gaps.
Khalid Mohammed Al-Dhayani ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001A retrospective study of measles cases at a teaching hospital in Amran Governorate, Yemen during 2024 found that 236 children (3.78% of admissions) were clinically diagnosed with measles. Nearly 94% of measles cases were unvaccinated children, with the highest burden among children aged 2-4 years and infants under 9 months. The study reveals significant vaccination coverage gaps, with national measles immunization coverage estimated at only 41%, and identifies parental misconceptions about vaccination as a contributing factor.
Key points
- 236 measles cases were identified among 6,241 hospital admissions (3.78%)
- 93.6% of measles patients (221 of 236) were unvaccinated
- Highest disease burden occurred in children aged 2-4 years (27.9%) and infants under 9 months (22.8%)
- National measles immunization coverage was estimated at approximately 41%
- Two deaths occurred (0.8% case fatality rate), both in children under 5 years
Limitations
This is a single-hospital retrospective study and therefore may not represent the full outbreak in Amran Governorate or Yemen nationally. The study describes the outbreak characteristics but does not evaluate an intervention or track outcomes over time.
Abstract
Yemen is facing an alarming measles outbreak, which represents a significant public health challenge exacerbated by factors such as low vaccination rates. In the present study, the aim was to determine the proportion of patients with measles infection and describe the characteristics of patients who attended Motherhood and Childhood Teaching Hospital in Amran Governorate between January and December 2024. A retrospective cross-sectional study design was used to analyze existing medical records. Among the 6,241 hospital admissions in 2024, 3.78% (N = 236) were clinically diagnosed measles cases. Among these measles patients, 221 of 236 (93.6%) were unvaccinated. Among the 15 vaccinated children, ages ranged from 0.91 to 6 years (the majority were aged 1-4 years), with six having received one dose and nine having received two doses. Analysis of the age distribution revealed that a significant proportion of cases occurred in infants under 9 months of age (54/236, 22.8%) who were ineligible for the first routine vaccine dose. The highest burden was among children aged 2-4 years (66/236, 27.9%). Two deaths (0.8% case fatality rate) occurred in children under 5 years of age because of measles complications. The high proportion of unvaccinated individuals among measles cases highlights significant gaps in vaccination coverage, particularly when compared with national estimates, suggesting overall measles immunization coverage of ∼41%. This situation is likely compounded by parental misconceptions regarding the importance of vaccination and insufficient awareness of their children's health needs. To prevent recurring measles infections, raising awareness among parents about the importance of vaccination and encouraging adherence to routine immunization schedules at health facilities are crucial.