Jayawant S, Feyi-Waboso A, Wallace S, Heath J, Leary M, Evans R, Ellis J
Paediatric Neurology, Department of Child Health, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, Wales.
Eur J Paediatr Neurol. 2000;4(4):177-9. doi: 10.1053/ejpn.2000.0296.
A 14-year-old pregnant Caucasian girl presented with a 1-week history of dementia. She had presented 1 year prior with acute unilateral visual impairment and was noted to have macular degeneration of presumed infective aetiology. This evolved to a pigmentary macular lesion. During the course of the current presentation she developed myoclonic jerks. An electroencephalogram revealed periodic spike and slow wave complexes at 1-2 second intervals. Blood and cerebrospinal fluid examination showed raised anti-measles IgG antibody titres. Intrathecal synthesis of anti-measles virus antibody was demonstrated unequivocally and a diagnosis of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis was made. A healthy male infant was delivered by elective caesarean section at 33 weeks' gestation. She continued to deteriorate clinically despite treatment with intraventricular alpha-interferon. She had not had primary immunization against measles.
