Cellular Hypersensitivity In Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis

Abstract

<h3>To the Editor.—</h3> Dermal reaction to measles antigen and macrophage migration inhibition tests using a concentrated lymphocytic supernate and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were conducted to evaluate the cellular immunity of a 9-year-old girl with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE). Both were positive but there was no evidence of impairment of thymus-dependent lymphocytes, thereby suggesting the presence of aggressive lymphocytes specific to measles antigen. While the relation of measles virus to SSPE has been confirmed by a number of investigators since the report of Connolly et al¹opinion is still divided on the question of why the disease arises only rarely among patients with measles. Burnet described a possible related impairment of thymus-dependent lymphocytes sensitive to measles antigen.²Saunders et al proposed a destructive interaction between the agressive lymphocytes specific for measles antigen and the host cells containing adapted virus,³while Horta-Barbosa et al⁴reported that a particular