Vaccination status and its association with complications among the patients admitted with measles in the dedicated measles hospitals, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Bangladesh is facing a major resurgence of measles, with more than 60,000 suspected cases and over 600 deaths reported between March and May 2026. Despite the growing outbreak, hospital-based evidence in Bangladesh remains limited regarding measles vaccination status and its association with clinical complications. To address this critical gap, our study aimed to assess the vaccination status and its relationship with the development of clinical complications. This cross-sectional study enrolled 260 children aged 2–72 months with clinically confirmed measles who were admitted to four dedicated measles treatment hospitals in Dhaka, Bangladesh, between 15 and 25 April 2026. Data on vaccination status, sociodemographic characteristics, feeding practices, nutritional status, clinical symptoms, and complications were collected through caregiver interviews and hospital records. Adjusted odds ratios (AOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated; p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Among enrolled children, 74.6% were unvaccinated, 18.8% were partially vaccinated, and only 6.5% were fully vaccinated. In the multivariable model, age below 9 months (aOR 0.09, 95% CI 0.03–0.268, p < 0.001) was independently associated with lower odds of vaccination, while household income at or above the median (aOR 3.983, 95% CI 1.8–8.813, p = 0.004) was associated with higher odds. Complications developed in 31.1% of cases, with respiratory involvement being most common. Absence of exclusive breastfeeding (aOR 2.336, 95% CI 1.027–5.313, p = 0.043) and presenting with exactly three symptoms at admission (aOR 3.106, 95% CI 1.274–7.572, p = 0.013) were independently associated with complications. Unvaccinated children had markedly higher odds of complications than vaccinated children (aOR 5.729, 95% CI: 2.363–13.889, p < 0.001). The heavy burden of measles among unvaccinated children, shaped by socioeconomic disadvantage and suboptimal feeding practices, underscores the urgent need to restore immunization coverage and strengthen equitable health services in Bangladesh.