THE ROLE OF SEX IN THE TRANSMISSION OF MEASLES IN A GAMBIAN VILLAGE

Data from the 1984-1985 epidemic of measles in Keneba, a Gambian village, have been reanalysed in order to test the effect of same sex vs. opposite sex transmission of measles on the severity of infection. A person infected by someone of the opposite sex was more likely to have severe infection with pulmonary complications than a person infected by someone of the same sex [RR (relative risk) = 2·8, 95 % confidence interval (CI): 0·9-9·7]. A secondary case infected by someone of the opposite sex was significantly more likely to have a more severe illness relative to the primary case than a patient infected by someone of the same sex (P = 0·026, Fisher's exact test). There were slightly more female than male primary cases while male secondary cases had a higher risk than female cases of being infected by someone of the opposite sex (RR = 2·6, 95 % CI: 0·9-6·9). © 1991 The British Society for the Study of Infection.