Journal article
Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis in Papua New Guinean children: The cost of continuing inadequate measles vaccine coverage
L Manning, M Laman, H Edoni, I Mueller, HA Karunajeewa, D Smith, I Hwaiwhanje, PM Siba, TME Davis
Plos Neglected Tropical Diseases | PUBLIC LIBRARY SCIENCE | Published : 2011
Abstract
Introduction: Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) is a late, rare and usually fatal complication of measles infection. Although a very high incidence of SSPE in Papua New Guinea (PNG) was first recognized 20 years ago, estimated measles vaccine coverage has remained at ≤70% since and a large measles epidemic occurred in 2002. We report a series of 22 SSPE cases presenting between November 2007 and July 2009 in Madang Province, PNG, including localized clusters with the highest ever reported annual incidence.Methodology/Principal Findings:As part of a prospective observational study of severe childhood illness at Modilon Hospital, the provincial referral center, children presenting wit..
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Awarded by National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Acknowledgements
This study was funded by a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) grant (#513782). The authors also acknowledge support from the MalariaGen Genomic Epidemiology Network. ML was supported by a Fogarty Foundation scholarship, LM by a Basser scholarship from the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and an NHMRC scholarship, and TMED by an NHMRC Practitioner Fellowship. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.