Summary

Fatal measles is known to occur among immunocompromised adults. We report a rare case of an immunocompetent non-pregnant young lady who suffered from fatal acute respiratory distress syndrome due to measles. Physicians must be vigilant to this deadly presentation of measles even in immunocompetent individuals. We emphasise the inadequacies of vaccination programmes in India reflected not only by the existing high measles-related childhood mortalities, but also an emerging rise in deaths among adults.