A Case Report of Paediatric Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis

Abstract

Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) is a devastating disease of the central nervous system (CNS) caused by persistent measles virus infection. The diagnosis of SSPE is based on characteristic clinical and EEG findings and demonstration of elevated antibody titres against measles in cerebrospinal fluid. Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis can have atypical clinical features at the onset.We report a 10 year old boy presented with convulsions and visual disturbances. The disease progressed with behavioural and cognitive disturbances and periodic high amplitude generalised complexes on EEG, and elevated titers of measles antibodies in cerebrospinal fluid leading to the final diagnosis of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis.