Uncommon histopathological findings in fatal measles infection: pancreatitis, sialoadenitis and thyroiditis

Aims: We report uncommon histopathological findings in fatal measles infect ion, Methods and Results: We describe the autopsies of four patients who died du ring a measles outbreak in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in 1997, Two of the patients were children receiving chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, one was an adult with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and the fourth was an apparently healthy woman. All patients had their deaths attributed to meas les pneumonia, The autopsies revealed extensive giant cell pneumonia and di ffuse alveolar damage, severe acute pancreatitis, necrotizing sialoadenitis and thyroiditis due to measles. Measles antigen was detected in lung tissu e using a monoclonal anti-measles antibody. Conclusions: Pancreatitis, thyroiditis and sialoadenitis are not previously reported histopathological findings in measles infection. Pancreatitis is a potentially severe complication and should be considered when treating pa tients with atypical measles.