Abstract

Aim: The aim of the present study to determine the association of measles antibody titres with nutritional status in paediatric population.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in the Department of Pediatrics, Vardhman Institute of Medical Sciences, Pawapuri, Nalanda, Bihar, India for 1 year, on 1-10 year old children. Total 300 patients were include in this study for finding out the seroprevalence and anti-measles antibody levels, and studying their association with age, gender, as well as nutritional status of these children. Blood samples were tested for presence of measles specific IgG antibodies.
Results: The relationship between age and vaccination status was not found to be statistically significant (p=0.22). No statistically significant difference was observed in the baseline characteristics of vaccinated and unvaccinated group except for mean weight for age Z score which was significantly lower in the unvaccinated  group (p = 0.023). According to weight for age, in well-nourished children  seropositivity was 67.68% with GMT 889 mIU/ml, moderately malnourished (wasting) 68% with GMT 687 mIU/ml and in severely malnourished (severe wasting) 60.90% with GMT 548 mIU/ml. It was not found statistically significant with p value 0.05 for seropositivity but significant with p value 0.0001 for antibody levels. According to Height for age in well- nourished children seropositivity was 54.32% with GMT 685 mIU/ml, moderately malnourished (stunting) seropositivity was 71.36% with GMT 387 mIU/ml and in severely malnourished (severe stunting) seropositivity 46.67% with GMT 361 mIU/ml. P value noted was 0.005 which is significant. In weight for length/height both seropositivity and GMT were found insignificant in well-nourished, moderately malnourished as well as severely malnourished subject (P value: 0.47)
Conclusion: Nutritional status of children has an association with measles antibody titres as well GMT of measles specific IgG antibody, with those with better nutritional status having higher measles antibody titres.