| subacute sclerosing panencephalitis | (n) a rare chronic progressive encephalitis caused by the measles virus and occurring primarily in children and young adults; death usually occurs within three years; characterized by primary measles infection before the age of two years, Syn. Van Bogaert encephalitis, inclusion body encephalitis, Bosin's disease, subacute sclerosing leukoencephalitis, subacute inclusion body encephalitis, SSPE, Dawson's encephalitis, sclerosing leukoencephalitis |