DISTRIBUTION OF MEASLES-VIRUS IN THE CENTRAL-NERVOUS-SYSTEM OF HIV-SEROPOSITIVE CHILDREN

In an autopsy study the distribution of measles virus (MV) in the cent ral nervous system (CNS) of 18 measles-infected children (13 HIV serop ositive, 5 HIv seronegative), in Abidjan, Ivory Coast was examined usi ng immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridization. Of these children 17 died from measles giant cell pneumonia. In 3 of the 13 HIV-seropositi ve patients MV antigens and genomic RNA was detected in the CNS. One o f these: positive patients had an MV encephalitis with abundant virus throughout most of the CNS. MV was not detected in the CNS of any of t he 5 HIV-seronegative patients. These findings, albeit in a small numb er of cases, would suggest there may be an increased susceptibility to infection of the CNS with MV in HIV-positive children. In this respec t entry and growth of MV in the CNS in HIV-seropositive individuals ma y be similar to the occurrence of measles inclusion body encephalitis in immunocompromised individuals. Furthermore, comparison of the HIV-M V encephalitis patient with two patients with subacute sclerosing pane ncephalitis (SSPE) demonstrated a paucity of virus in neuronal process es in the HIV-MV encephalitis. Unlike in SSPE, MV maturation by buddin g through the plasma membrane may occur, thereby minimizing build up o f and intracellular movement of incomplete virus.