Central Nervous System Affection in Connection with “Ordinary” Measles

Abstract

Signs of involvement of the central nervous system (CNS) were found in 17 of 40 children hospitalized because of measles without any clinical signs of complications and admitted only for social reasons. 6/31 patients showed abnormal findings on EEG in the acute phase of the disease. Spinal pleocytosis was found in 9/34 patients and 2/40 patients had convulsions after admission. The frequency of pneumonia was the same in children with and without signs of CNS involvement. Five patients admitted with clinical signs of encephalitis had all spinal pleocytosis. Two of these children showed abnormal EEGs with changes of the same type as those found in the children with “ordinary” measles and abnormal EEG.