LOSS OF MATERNALLY-ACQUIRED MEASLES ANTIBODY DURING INFANCY IN ILORIN, NIGERIA

In a study of the prevalence of measles antibody in infants aged 1-9 months detectable antibody was present in 32 per cent. Prevalence was highest in the 4-7-week age group and dropped rapidly with increasing age. In infants 28-35 weeks old, only 7 per cent had detectable antibody. Logistic regression analysis showed that by the end of the seventh month of life only 10 per cent would carry antibody against measles.