Clinicians Warn of Fatal Measles Brain Disease

Doctors caution that measles infection can lead to SSPE, a rare fatal neurologic disease that may appear years later.

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Deepanwita Dasgupta, diagnosed with SSPE after measles, is now paralyzed and unable to talk, highlighting the severe complications of the virus.
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Measles can cause immediate and delayed complications, with SSPE typically emerging years after infection, often resulting in fatal outcomes.
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The risk of developing SSPE is significantly higher for children who contract measles before age five, with an estimated occurrence of one in 10,000 cases.
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Vaccination rates are declining in the US, leading to increased measles cases and concerns about a rise in SSPE diagnoses among unvaccinated children.
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The two-dose measles vaccine significantly reduces the risk of infection and subsequent complications like SSPE, emphasizing the importance of vaccination.

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