LA County confirms child's death due to measles complication years after infection

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health this week reported the death of a school-aged child due to a rare complication occurring from a measles infection they experienced as an infant.

In a statement Thursday, the health department said the child had become infected before they were eligible to receive the measles vaccine. Their death was due to subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE).

The department described SSPE as a "rare, progressive brain disorder that is a late complication of infection from the measles virus." It affects roughly one in 10,000 people who get measles, but this rate jumps to 1 in 600 for those who get measles when they are an infant.

"SSPE usually develops two to ten years after the initial measles infection after the patient seemed to fully recover.