title: Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis: detection of measles virus RNA in appendix lymphoid tissue before clinical signs.
abstract: An appendix removed 15 days before onset of symptoms of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis was examined retrospectively for measles virus ribonucleic acid (RNA). Tissue sections hybridised in situ to a cloned measles virus probe of deoxyribonucleic acid specific for nucleocapsid protein showed that many cells of the lymphoid tissue contained measles virus RNA. In contrast, only a few infected lymphoid cells were detected in three out of six seropositive controls and none in three seronegative infants. A widespread chronic viral infection of the immune system, established after measles, may promote or even initiate nerve cell infection in subacute sclerosing panencephalitis.
mesh_terms: D001065:Appendix / Q000032:analysis* / Q000382:microbiology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008459:Measles virus / Q000378:metabolism*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D013344:Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral