Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis in Croatia (1994-2004).
We studied five patients with SSPE during a 10-year period (1994-2004). The first clinical symptoms developed at the age of 5-11 years. All patients were vaccinated regularly against measles according to the official immunization schedule. One patient had measles at the age of 18 months. Two of them had a history of morbilliform rash (unrecognized measles) at the age of six and seven months, respectively. In two patients, with no history of measles before vaccination the disease started after varicella infection. Using complement-fixation (F) test and EIA, antibodies to measles virus (MV) were detected in the CSF and sera of all patients. The CF-antibody titers ranged from 1:1024 to 1:65536 in sera and from 1:16 to 1:128 in CSF samples. MV antigen was detected in brain imprints using IFA in two patients. Electron microscopic analysis revealed intranuclear viral inclusions (MV nucleocapsids). Using RT-PCR, viral RNA was found in both patients. Nucleotide sequence analysis showed that the viruses found in the brain tissue belonged to the wild-type MV D6 genotype [7].
Cavlek
Tatjana Vilibic
TV
Croatian National Institute of Public Health, Zagreb. tatjana.vilibic-cavlek@hzjz.hr
Sternak
Suncanica Ljubin
SL
Kaic
Bernard
B
Zarkovic
Kamelija
K
Marina
Branka Marusic Della
BM
Sojat
Ljerka Cvitanovic
LC
Basnec
Anica
A
Galinovic
Gordana Mlinaric
GM
D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D001921:Brain / Q000821:virology; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000821:virology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003168:Complement Fixation Tests; D017523:Croatia; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D002479:Inclusion Bodies; D008297:Male; D008457:Measles; D008458:Measles Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008459:Measles virus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017385:Sequence Homology; D013344:Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D008458:Measles Vaccine; D012367:RNA, Viral