Measles outbreak poses risk of ‘irreversible’ brain damage, health officials warn

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South Carolina health officials are warning of “irreversible” neurological damage in children asmeasles-related hospitalizationsclimb in the state.

Of the 876 confirmed cases in the state’s upstate outbreak, at least 19 patients have been admitted with serious complications.

“Some of these complications include measles encephalitis, or inflammation of the brain, in children and pneumonia,” state epidemiologist Linda Bell said in a Feb.4 briefing.

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Bell emphasized that the complication is particularly dangerous foryoung patients.

“Any time you have inflammation of the brain … there can be long-term consequences, things like developmental delays and impacts on the neurologic system that can be irreversible,” the expert warned.

Some of the more serious measles-related complications include measles encephalitis, or inflammation of the brain, in children, as well as pneumonia.(iStock)

While the state does not systematically track every medical complication, pneumonia is the leading cause of measles-related death among young children, affecting approximately one in every 20 infected minors, according to CDC data.

A total of 147 students are quarantined across 10 K-12 schools, Bell noted.

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The outbreakalso poses a risk to expectant mothers.Because the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine cannot be administered during pregnancy, several exposed women recently required emergency treatment with immune globulin to provide “passive immunity.”

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Bell noted that this is critical to “protect them against the high risk of complicationsduring pregnancyand to protect their newborn babies.”

The measles virus is notoriously contagious, capable of lingering in the air for up to two hours after an infected person has left a room, experts say.

mother and daughter holding hands in hospital

Pneumonia is the leading cause of death from measles in young children, affecting approximately one in every 20 infected minors.(iStock)

South Carolina saw a historic surge in vaccinations in January.In particular, Spartanburg County saw a 162% increase inMMR vaccinationscompared to the previous year.

A new case in the Pee Dee region suggests the virus may be spreading beyond the initial upstate clusters through “unrecognized community transmission.”(Paul Bersebach/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images)

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As far as theencephalitis and pneumoniafears, “these are complications we hope to prevent,” Bell added.

“Increasing vaccination coverage protects those who cannot be vaccinated, like young infants, pregnant women and those with weakened immune systems.”

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