The diagnosis of measles in the newborn and infant age groups

An outbreak of measles in an infants' and small-children's ward is reported in which the disease ran a completely atypical course. Despite exact observation Koplik spots were not demonstrable in any of the affected children and even the rash did not have the usual appearance. Thus the final diagnosis could only be made serologically. It is possible that the infection in the infants and small children was so modified by transplacental maternal antibodies that the disease ran a completely atypical course.