A child in Los Angeles County has died from a rare complication linked to measles contracted during infancy, according to local health officials. The child developed subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, a fatal brain disorder that can arise years after an initial measles infection. This condition is almost always deadly and is more likely to affect those infected with measles as infants.
Health authorities noted that the child had been too young to receive the measles vaccine at the time of exposure. Dr. Muntu Davis, Los Angeles County health officer, stated, “This case is a painful reminder of how dangerous measles can be, especially for our most vulnerable community members. Infants too young to be vaccinated rely on all of us to help protect them through community immunity.”
Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis affects approximately 1 in 10,000 people who contract measles but poses a much higher risk—about 1 in 600—for those infected as infants.
The United States is experiencing its highest number of measles cases in over thirty years, with vaccination rates declining and outbreaks occurring both domestically and abroad. As of Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had confirmed 1,454 cases this year, resulting in three deaths (https://www.cdc.gov/measles/index.html).
