Differences in Clinical Manifestations of Measles in Children with Complete and Incomplete Immunization History: Literature Review

A. Vania Nurul Anisah; Husni Esa  Darussalam; Nur Ahmad  Tabri

doi:10.37899/journallamedihealtico.v7i4.5921

A. Vania Nurul Anisah Students of the Medical Profession Study Program, Faculty of Medicine, Muslim University of Indonesia
Husni Esa Darussalam Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Muslim University of Indonesia
Nur Ahmad Tabri Department of Pulmonology and Respiratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Muslim University of Indonesia

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37899/journallamedihealtico.v7i4.5921

Keywords: Measles, Clinical Manifestations, Immunization Status, Vaccinated Children, Unvaccinated Children

Abstract

Measles is a highly contagious acute infectious disease. The six clinical manifestations assessed in this review are fever, cough, coryza, conjunctivitis, shortness of breath, and diarrhea. This literature review aims to analyze differences in these six manifestations in children based on their history or level of measles immunization completion. A search was conducted through PubMed, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect, prioritizing original studies from 2020–2026. Articles in Indonesian, English, or other languages that were available in full text and could be adequately extracted were included. A total of five pediatric studies were included in the narrative and comparative synthesis. The results showed that fever was the most common symptom across all groups, thus limiting the ability to clinically differentiate immunization status. Cough, coryza, and diarrhea tended to be lower in vaccinated children in some studies, while findings regarding conjunctivitis were inconsistent. Direct evidence regarding shortness of breath is limited because most studies reported indirect respiratory indicators. In conclusion, a history of measles immunization tends to be associated with milder manifestations in some outcomes, but does not exclude the possibility of measles. Diagnosis still requires clinical assessment, epidemiological history, and laboratory confirmation.

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