Child in Los Angeles Dies of Rare Brain Disorder Caused by Measles

Key Takeaways

A child in Los Angeles has died from SSPE, a rare measles-related brain disorder

Subacute sclerosing panencephaliti (SSPE) risk is 1 in 600 for infants infected with measles

The MMR vaccine is 97% effective with two doses

MONDAY, Sept. 15, 2025 (HealthDay News) — A child in Los Angeles County has died from a rare brain disorder caused by a measles infection in infancy, health officials reported.

The child, who was too young to get the measles vaccine, had developed subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE). It’s a rare complication of measles that causes damage to the brain over time and is almost always fatal.

Although SSPE affects only about 1 in 10,000 people who contract measles, the risk is far higher for babies, about 1 in 600 infections, The Associated Press