Deepanwita Dasgupta, diagnosed with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis after contracting measles at age five, highlights the severe long-term risks associated with the virus.
Deepanwita Dasgupta’s journey began when she was just five years old, playing at her home in Bangalore, India. Her parents noticed that she was stumbling more often, attributing the extra bumps and bruises to her active nature. They thought perhaps her shoes were ill-fitting.
Described by relatives as smart, affectionate, and occasionally mischievous, Deepanwita had a knack for technology, managing to find her favorite show, *Blippi*, on a phone before she even learned the alphabet. She was known for sneaking butter from the fridge for a quick taste.
However, her playful childhood took a drastic turn when her limbs began to jerk uncontrollably. A spinal tap revealed the presence of the measles virus in her cerebrospinal fluid. The virus, contracted during her infancy, had silently made its way to her brain. Now, at eight years old, Deepanwita is paralyzed and unable to speak.
Measles is notorious for causing a range of complications, from diarrhea to death, affecting approximately three in ten infected individuals, according to the Infectious Diseases Society of America. While some complications arise immediately, others may take weeks or even months to manifest. Deepanwita’s condition, known as subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), typically takes years to develop.
“People think, ‘Oh, you know, if we get measles, then we’ll be fine, because I know my neighbor had it and they’re fine,’” said Yasmin Khakoo, a leading neurologist in New York City. Khakoo emphasized the dangers of measles, noting that a seven-year-old in South Carolina had to relearn how to walk due to brain swelling, another immediate complication of the virus. In some cases, measles can plant a ticking time bomb in the nervous system, allowing individuals to appear healthy for years before severe problems arise. While some patients may experience temporary disabilities, the condition is almost always fatal.
Before the widespread availability of effective vaccines, SSPE was a common complication in the U.S. In the 1960s, a doctor established a national registry for SSPE patients. Current estimates suggest that about one in 10,000 individuals who contract measles will develop SSPE, with the risk significantly elevated for those infected before the age of five. Countries where measles is endemic, such as India, continue to see regular cases.
As vaccination rates decline and measles outbreaks increase in the U.S., medical professionals are concerned that cases of SSPE will also rise. Since the beginning of 2025, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported over 3,500 measles cases, surpassing the total from the previous decade, predominantly among unvaccinated individuals, many of whom are children. Last year, a six-year-old in Connecticut was diagnosed with SSPE, and a school-aged child in California died from the condition after contracting measles as an infant.
“We are likely to see SSPE cases going forward, especially if we don’t get this under control,” warned Adam Ratner, a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Committee on Infectious Diseases.
In response to growing concern, the Child Neurology Society published a video in January to educate U.S. clinicians about SSPE, and physicians who have encountered such cases are urging their colleagues to be vigilant.
“We don’t have a way of knowing who’s going to get it, and we don’t have a way of very effectively treating it,” said Aaron Nelson, a professor of neurology at New York University. “The one best thing that we can do, ideally, is to prevent children from having to go through it in the first place.”
The recommended two-dose measles vaccine significantly reduces the risk of contracting the virus, lowering it from 90% to just 3%, thereby decreasing the likelihood of developing SSPE. While the vaccine carries minor risks, such as febrile seizures and a bleeding condition, the risks associated with measles itself are far greater.
Deepanwita’s story is a poignant reminder of the potential consequences of measles. In 2022, she celebrated her fifth birthday, unaware that her health would soon take a tragic turn. At her eighth birthday gathering, Deepanwita, dressed in a pink eyelet dress and supported by a nasal tube, could only blink and move her eyes as she sat before two cakes she could not eat.
Roberto Cattaneo, a molecular biologist at the Mayo Clinic, has been studying SSPE for years. He recently utilized postmortem brain tissue to investigate how the measles virus spreads within the brain. Despite his research, he acknowledges that the exact mechanisms of the virus during the dormant period between initial infection and the onset of neurological symptoms remain largely unknown.
“The problem could be solved with vaccination,” Cattaneo stated, expressing frustration that such a preventable condition still exists. “The U.S. should have no cases of SSPE. It’s just painful.”
As the number of measles outbreaks rises globally, the situation remains dire, particularly in countries like India. In New Delhi, Sheffali Gulati, a pediatric neurologist, sees about ten new SSPE patients each year, referring to the condition as a “delayed echo” of measles outbreaks. The youngest patient she has treated was just three years old.
With families like Deepanwita’s facing the harsh realities of SSPE, the urgent need for vaccination and awareness has never been clearer. The long-term effects of measles can be devastating, and the medical community continues to advocate for prevention to protect future generations.
According to KFF Health News, the importance of vaccination cannot be overstated in the fight against measles and its severe complications.