How do you treat subacute sclerosing panencephalitis?
There is no specific treatment for subacute sclerosing panencephalitis. Anticonvulsants may help to control seizure activity. Other treatment is symptomatic and supportive.
What virus causes subacute sclerosing panencephalitis?
Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) is a progressive neurological disorder of children and young adults that affects the central nervous system (CNS). It is a slow, but persistent, viral infection caused by defective measles virus.
What causes SSPE to occur in some cases of measles?
It has been found that wild strains causing the measles have a tri-residue motif, which infers an increased ability to spread, which is not present in lab-adapted strains used for vaccines. Thus, SSPE remains solely a complication of the wild type measles infection.
How do you prevent SSPE measles?
Four lines of evidence indicate that measles vaccine protects against SSPE: 1) the decrease in reported SSPE cases in recent years as measles incidence has declined; 2) two case-control studies performed in the United States which indicated that measles vaccine, by protecting against measles, reduces the chance of …
Can you survive SSPE?
Most of the patients with SSPE survive for 1–3 years after diagnosis, with a mean survival of about 18 months. In acute fulminant SSPE the disease rapidly evolves leading to death within three months of the diagnosis. In the series of Risk and Haddad, approximately 10% of patients had such a fulminant course.
Which disease has a very rare side effect called subacute sclerosing panencephalitis?
An abnormal reaction by your immune system to the measles virus, or rubeola, is likely the cause. It causes inflammation, swelling, and irritation of your brain. It may occur years after you recover from the measles. SSPE is a rare disease.
What are the risk factors for subacute sclerosing panencephalitis?
A statistically significant positive correlation was found between risk of SSPE and early measles infection, large family, overcrowding in the home, older age of the mother, higher birth order, fewer years of schooling of the parents, fewer cultural activities, and rural place of birth.
Is SSPE always fatal?
SSPE is always fatal. People with this disease die 1 to 3 years after diagnosis. Some people may survive longer.