Fatal measles without rash in immunocompetent adult, France

Publié le 1 mars 2012
Mis à jour le 6 septembre 2019

TO THE EDITOR: The reemergence of measles in Europe is a reminder of the forgotten risk for severe illness and death associated with this disease in industrialized countries. Since 2008, >20,000 measles cases and 9 measles-associated deaths (in 7 immunocompromised and 2 immunocompetent persons) have been reported to the French Institute for Public Health. Among these cases, the reported causes of death were pneumonia and/or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (n = 7) and encephalitis (n = 2). All patients except 1, an immunocompromised patient, had the typical morbillous rash. We report another fatal case of measles, with intractable ARDS but no rash, in an apparently immunocompetent adult. (R.A.)

Auteur : Lupo J, Bernard S, Wintenberger C, Baccard M, Vabret A, Antona D, Timsit JF, Morand P
Emerging infectious diseases, 2012, vol. 18, n°. 3, p. 521-3