Child Undernutrition Linked to Global Measles Outbreaks: Study Finds - Video

New research suggests that undernutrition may be exacerbating measles outbreaks in areas suffering from food insecurity. The findings are published in the journal Vaccine.

A study involving over 600 fully vaccinated children in South Africa found those who were undernourished had substantially lower levels of antibodies against measles.

Researchers tracked the children's growth over time as an indicator of undernutrition and measured their antibody levels through blood tests. Children who were stunted around age three had an average of 24% lower measles antibody levels by age five compared to their typical-sized peers.

"We need to vaccinate children against infectious diseases that are preventable and ensure they are protected," said first author Brenda Eskenazi, Professor Emerita of Public Health at the University of California, Berkeley. "This is especially important now, given that many known diseases are expected to spread with climate change."

Reference: Eskenazi, B., Rauch, S., Elsiwi, B., Bornman, R., Obida, M., Brewer, A., Ward, B. J., & Chevrier, J. (2025). Undernutrition and antibody response to measles, tetanus and Haemophilus Influenzae type b (Hib) vaccination in pre-school south African children: The VHEMBE birth cohort study. Vaccine, 46, 126564. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.126564