From the Guidelines
Vitamin A is crucial in treating measles as it significantly reduces the severity of the illness, decreases the risk of complications, and lowers mortality rates, particularly in children with vitamin A deficiency. The recommended dosage is 200,000 IU for children over 12 months and 100,000 IU for those under 12 months, repeated every 3 months as part of routine supplementation 1. This supplementation supports the immune system's response to the virus and helps maintain epithelial tissue integrity, including in the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts damaged during measles infection. Vitamin A also exhibits anti-inflammatory properties, reducing symptom severity. For children with complicated measles, a second dose of vitamin A is recommended on day 2 1. Key benefits of vitamin A supplementation in measles treatment include:
- Reduced severity of illness
- Decreased risk of complications
- Lowered mortality rates, especially in high-risk populations
- Support for the immune system's response to the virus
- Maintenance of epithelial tissue integrity
- Anti-inflammatory effects reducing symptom severity Given the evidence, administering vitamin A as soon as measles is diagnosed is critical for maximum benefit, and it is safe even if the child has recently received vitamin A through routine supplementation programs 1.
From the Research
Benefits of Vitamin A in Treating Measles
- Vitamin A supplementation has been shown to reduce measles morbidity in young African children, with a significant reduction in integrated morbidity scores and respiratory-tract infection 2.
- A study found that vitamin A supplementation was associated with a reduced risk of overall mortality and pneumonia-specific mortality in children with measles, particularly in those under the age of 2 years 3.
- Vitamin A deficiency is a recognized risk factor for severe measles, and supplementation has been recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) to prevent mortality, pneumonia, and other complications in children with measles 3, 4.
Mechanism of Action
- Vitamin A supplementation has been found to increase vitamin A levels in serum, which correlates with levels of retinol-binding protein, prealbumin, and zinc 4.
- The supplementation also reduces the duration of diarrhoea and the incidence of croup and otitis media in children with measles 3, 2.
Comparison with Other Interventions
- While zinc supplementation has been studied as a potential treatment for measles, the evidence is insufficient to confirm or refute its effect, and more research is needed 5.
- Vitamin A supplementation, on the other hand, has been consistently shown to be beneficial in reducing measles-related morbidity and mortality, particularly when given in two doses of 200,000 IU 3, 2, 6.