Measles virus genome in infections of the central nervous system.

The measles virus genome was traced in acute and chronic infections of the central nervous system in hamsters and humans. The extent of viral replication and gene expression was assessed by the techniques of in situ hybridization and immunofluorescence. Both replication and gene expression were restricted in chronically infected hamsters and in humans with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis. It is proposed that restriction plays an important role in persistence of measles virus and the slow evolution of disease in these and other slow infections.