The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health issued a stark warning this week following the death of a school-aged child from a rare and fatal complication of measles. This tragic event underscores the critical importance of timely vaccination against this preventable disease.
The child, who contracted measles as an infant before becoming eligible for the vaccine, initially recovered from the infection. However, years later, they developed subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), a devastating and invariably fatal neurological condition. SSPE is a rare but serious consequence of measles, affecting a small percentage of those who have been infected, typically in early childhood. The delayed onset of symptoms makes SSPE especially insidious.
Health officials are using this heartbreaking case to emphasize the life-saving benefits of measles vaccination. The MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine is highly effective in preventing measles and its potentially devastating long-term complications. Protecting children through vaccination is the most effective way to prevent both initial infection and the risk of later developing SSPE. The Department strongly urges parents and guardians to ensure their children are fully vaccinated according to the recommended schedule. This preventable tragedy serves as a sobering reminder of the potential consequences of foregoing vaccination.
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Originally published at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/09/12/los-angeles-measles-complication-vaccination-sspe/
