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Measles virus and associated central nervous system sequelae

Renee Buchanan1, Daniel J Bonthius

  • 1Department of Neurology, University of Iowa, Hospital and Clinics, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA.

Seminars in Pediatric Neurology
|August 15, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Measles is a deadly vaccine-preventable disease. Measles outbreaks in the U.S. are linked to undervaccinated children, leading to severe, untreatable central nervous system complications.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Measles remains a significant global health threat, particularly vaccine-preventable deaths.
  • In the U.S., school entry vaccination policies have largely controlled endemic measles.
  • Recent outbreaks are linked to imported measles virus and transmission among undervaccinated populations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the spectrum of measles-associated central nervous system (CNS) complications.
  • To discuss the pathogenesis and clinical presentations of these severe neurological sequelae.
  • To highlight the challenges in treating measles-related brain injuries.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of measles and its neurological complications.
  • Analysis of clinical presentations, pathogenesis, and pathological effects.
  • Synthesis of current understanding of brain-virus-immune interactions in measles.

Main Results:

  • Measles can cause severe CNS complications, including encephalitis and panencephalitis, days to years post-infection.
  • These complications arise from complex brain-virus-immune system interactions.
  • Despite advances, effective treatments for measles-associated neurological damage are lacking.

Conclusions:

  • Measles poses a continued threat, especially through imported cases and undervaccination.
  • Measles-induced CNS diseases are diverse, severe, and can cause permanent brain injury.
  • Further research is needed to develop effective treatments for these devastating neurological complications.

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