Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis

Rare card · No. 20358

Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), also known as Dawson disease, is a rare form of progressive brain inflammation caused by a persistent infection with the measles virus. The condition primarily affects children, teens, and young adults. It has been estimated that about 2 in 10,000 people who get measles will eventually develop SSPE. However, a 2016 study estimated that the rate for unvaccinated infants under 15 months was as high as 1 in 609. No cure for SSPE exists, and the condition is almost always fatal. SSPE is sometimes confused with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, which can also be caused by the measles virus, but has a very different timing and course. SSPE is caused by some strains of the wild-type (naturally occurring) measles virus, such as the B3 strain, but not by the strains used in measles vaccines.

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