Abstract

MARTINS, Sandrina; RIBEIRO, Luís; FONTE, Miguel  and  CHORAO, Rui. EEG case report. Nascer e Crescer [online]. 2011, vol.20, n.1, pp.49-50. ISSN 0872-0754.

Introduction: Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis is a very rare disease in countries with measles vaccination programs, and is due to a persistent infection by a defective measles virus. The disease has a progressive fatal course. Case report: We describe the case of a 13 year-old boy with a progressive clinical picture of cognitive impairment, myo­clonus, and pyramidal, extrapyramidal and cerebellar signs. The diagnosis was based upon clinical manifestations, the presence of characteristic periodic EEG discharges, and the demonstration of raised antibody titres against measles in the plasma and cerebrospinal fluid. Conclusions: Diagnosis of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis is based on clinical suspicion, very characteristic electroencephalographic abnormalities (typical periodic complexes) and raised antibodies to measles virus in the cerebrospinal fluid. It seldom occurs in patients with immunisation against measles, except in those with early onset of measles.

Keywords : Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis; electroencephalogram; periodic complexes; measles virus.

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