Introduction
Measles and influenza viruses both are infectious diseases which are
transmitted among individuals through respiratory route. Measles virus
is a single-stranded RNA virus belonging to the Paramyxoviridaefamily [1] which is a highly contagious virus with reproduction
number (R0) of 15-18 . Therefore, it is classified as one of the most
contagious viruses infecting humankind [2]. Because of the measles
vaccination starting at 1968 and effective vaccination mass campaign
started in 2003 and the ongoing procedure in Iran, the mortality rate
has been reduced considerably to date[3-5], nevertheless measles is
still a public health concern.
Influenza viruses belong to the Orthomyxoviridae family. These
viruses cause annual epidemics worldwide. Before COVID-19 pandemic, in
the United States 5% to 20% of the population were infected with these
viruses every year.
The R values of different influenza viruses causing moderate number of
illness are different from those causing a high number of illnesses. The
median R value for seasonal influenza has been reported 1.28
(IQR:1.19–1.37) [6-8].
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, on the one hand, the
circulation of the other infectious agents transmitted through the
respiratory tract have been reduced by observing quarantine, social
distancing and wearing masks. On the other hand, COVID-19 has diverted a
huge part of healthcare systems resources and efforts toward pandemic
response, disrupted routine immunization services and altered
health-seeking behaviors of people worldwide [9, 10].
In October 2019, Iran has achieved the status of measles elimination
using effective vaccination strategies and surveillance system based on
WHO recommendations[4] . However, during recent months, limited
number of measles cases were identified by Iran Measles and Rubella
national center. Herein, we report a case of measles and influenza
co-infection in a nine month-old infant from Bushehr province of Iran.