title: Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis in the differential diagnosis of encephalitis.
abstract: The authors describe five cases of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) identified through the California Encephalitis Project that emphasize the importance of considering SSPE in the differential diagnosis of encephalitis, particularly among pediatric patients. SSPE was not suspected in the differential diagnosis of three of the cases until results of measles testing were known. The diagnosis of SSPE is often not considered by clinicians because of its rarity in the United States and the nonspecific clinical manifestations at onset.
authors.affiliation: Viral and Rickettsial Disease Laboratory, Division of Communicable Disease Control, California Department of Health Services, 850 Marina Bay Parkway, Richmond, CA 94804, USA. shonarma@dhs.ca.gov
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Honarmand
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Glaser
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chow
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Sejvar
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Preas
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Cosentino
authors.forename: H T
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Hutchison
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Bellini
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology; D001925:Brain Damage, Chronic / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology; D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003951:Diagnostic Errors / Q000517:prevention & control; D018450:Disease Progression; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D008297:Male; D008457:Measles / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis; D008459:Measles virus / Q000276:immunology*; D013344:Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D007074:Immunoglobulin G