Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Virology
• Public Health

Background:

• Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease resulting from persistent, mutated measles virus infection.
• Defective viral clearance allows neurovirulent strains to establish chronic central nervous system infections, affecting all ages but predominantly children and young adults.
• SSPE presents with progressive cognitive decline, neuromotor impairment, and often leads to death within 1-3 years, though rare cases show stabilization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the multifaceted aspects of SSPE, emphasizing preventive strategies.
• To highlight the challenges posed by SSPE in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) due to low vaccine coverage and limited healthcare infrastructure.
• To underscore the global threat of SSPE and advocate for urgent, multi-pronged public health interventions.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on SSPE pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, and epidemiology.
• Analysis of factors contributing to SSPE prevalence, including vaccination rates and healthcare access in LMICs.
• Examination of current and emerging therapeutic and public health strategies.

Main Results:

• SSPE remains a significant public health crisis in LMICs, exacerbated by inadequate measles vaccination.
• Measles outbreaks in high-income countries also contribute to SSPE incidence, driven by vaccine hesitancy and travel.
• Effective antiviral therapies are lacking, with management primarily focused on supportive and palliative care.

Conclusions:

• Strengthening vaccination programs, improving diagnostic strategies, and enhancing access to treatments are crucial for SSPE prevention.
• Addressing SSPE requires a global, holistic approach involving multi-pronged public health efforts to eliminate measles.
• Failure to act holistically will allow SSPE to persist as a global health threat.