SUBACUTE SCLEROSING PANENCEPHALITIS (SSPE): A RARE AND FATAL BRAIN DISORDER

Why in the News?

  • Severe neurological disorder: Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis (SSPE) is a fatal brain disease caused by a persistent measles virus infection.
  • Delayed onset: Develops years after measles recovery, even if the initial infection was mild.
  • Global concern: Rare in Western countries but remains a health challenge worldwide.

SUBACUTE SCLEROSING PANENCEPHALITIS (SSPE): A RARE AND FATAL BRAIN DISORDER

Causes and Symptoms

  • Virus persistence: SSPE occurs due to an abnormal immune response or a mutated measles virus that stays dormant in the brain.
  • Early signs: Forgetfulness, irritability, hallucinations, and poor academic performance in children.
  • Advanced symptoms: Seizures, muscle jerks, speech loss, difficulty swallowing, leading to blindness and pneumonia.
  • Fatal outcome: Final stages cause unstable body functions, eventually leading to death.

Treatment and Prevention

  • No cure: SSPE is progressive and fatal, with high mortality rates.
  • Symptom management: Antiviral drugs and immune-boosting therapies slow progression but are not curative.
  • Vaccination as prevention: Measles immunization remains the only effective way to eliminate SSPE risk.