Abstract

Objective: Measles is a highly contagious, vaccine-preventable disease caused by the measles virus. There has been  a marked increase in measles cases in Türkiye in recent years. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of adult measles cases at our hospital between 2022 and 2023.

Methods: This retrospective, cross-sectional study included patients 18 years and older diagnosed with measles between January 2022 and September 2023. Diagnosis was confirmed by measles immunoglobulin M (IgM) or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing. Researchers reviewed sociodemographic data, clinical signs and symptoms, and laboratory parameters including complete blood count (CBC), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and C-reactive protein (CRP), as well as chest radiographs. Data were extracted from the hospital information system. Descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, and percentage) were used. Categorical variables were summarized as frequency (n) and percentage (%).

Results: A total of 162 adult measles cases were included. The first two cases appeared in 2022. The rest occurred in 2023. The number of cases peaked in May 2023 and declined afterward. Of the cases, 98 (60%) were female. Of these, 5 (5%) were pregnant. The median age was 27 years (range: 18–51). Twelve cases (0.7%) were foreign nationals. Only 17 patients (10.5%) had a history of full-dose measles vaccination. The most common symptoms were rash (100%), fever (81%), and cough (65%). Measles IgM was positive in 126 patients (78%). All 36 IgM-negative patients tested positive by PCR. Laboratory findings showed elevated aminotransferases in 86 patients (53%), leukopenia in 30 (18.5%), and thrombocytopenia in 46 (28%). Thirteen patients (0.8%) required hospitalization. All recovered with supportive care, and no deaths occurred.

Conclusion: The sharp increase in measles cases shows a decline in herd immunity. Preventive measures are urgently needed. Measles should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients with rash and fever and serological and PCR testing should be used. Public health authorities  should be notified promptly and isolation precautions should be implemented to prevent outbreaks.

Keywords: Measles, measles vaccine, outbreak, adult cases, Türkiye