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

South Carolina health officials are warning of "irreversible" neurological damage in children as measles-related hospitalizations climb 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 for young 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.

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 outbreak also 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 complications during pregnancy and 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.

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

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"I'm hoping that what we can attribute [the vaccine surge] to is a wider recognition of the threat of this disease circulating in our communities and the desire for people to be protected against the complications," Bell said in the briefing.

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Health officials continue to urge the public to seek vaccinations, especially as a new case in the Pee Dee region suggests the virus may be spreading beyond the initial upstate clusters through "unrecognized community transmission."

As far as the encephalitis and pneumonia fears, "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."