Stories and News Our campaigns Measles FAQ How serious is encephalitis? Encephalitis is a highly disabling neurological disease that can cause long-term consequences and even death. 1-3 in 1,000 children contracting measles will develop encephalitis concurrent with the measles infection. 10–15% of those children will die and a further 25% of patients will be left with permanent neurological damage. 1 in 1,000 children with measles will develop post-infectious encephalitis. 1 in 25,000 of children (1 in 5,500 children if they are under 1) with measles will develop subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) which has a fatal (death) outcome. 1-2 in 1.000.000 children who had vaccination will develop encephalitis from the vaccination which is less than the incidence of all types of encephalitis. (1) Manage Cookie Preferences