Early measles virus infection is associated with the development of inflammatory bowel disease

OBJECTIVE: The measles virus has been implicated as a possible etiological agent in the development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Measles infec tion at an early age is associated with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis , a degenerative neurological condition caused by persistent measles infect ion of the central nervous system. We sought to determine whether infection with measles virus at an early age was also associated with an increased r isk of developing IBD. METHODS: Patients with measles infection diagnosed before the age of 5 yr w ere identified through the diagnostic indices of the Mayo Clinic and the Ro chester Epidemiology Project. A questionnaire was used to ascertain a subse quent history of IBD, which was confirmed by records from the subjects' phy sicians. The risks of developing Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis wer e calculated relative to expected rates for these conditions in the Olmsted County, Minnesota population. RESULTS: Of 1164 eligible cases, 662 (57%) completed the questionnaire. The re were six confirmed cases of Crohn's disease and six of ulcerative coliti s. The expected number of cases was 1.9 for Crohn's disease (standardized i ncidence ratio [SIR] 3.1, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1-6.8) and 2.0 for ulcerative colitis (SIR 3.0, CT 1.1-6.5). There was a trend towards a high er risk of developing IBD with an earlier age of infection. CONCLUSIONS: Early measles infection is associated with an increased risk o f developing Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. The risk may be higher with earlier infection. (Am J Gastroenterol 2000.95:1480-1385. (C) 2000 by Am. Coll. of Gastroenterology).