What happened to Denise Dowse? Cause of death explored as ‘Insecure’ and ‘Beverly Hills, 90210’ star passes away at 64

After a battle with viral meningitis, Beverly Hills, 90210 star Denise Dowse passed away at the age of 64. Last week, various reports stated that Dowse was in a coma due to complications from the disease. At the time, Dowse's sister Tracey took to Instagram to disclose the official condition of the Honolulu, Hawaii native.

The news of her demise was shared by her sister Tracey via the actress' Instagram profile. In the post, she mentioned:

"It is with a very heavy heart that I inform everyone that my sister, Denise Dowse, has gone forward to meet our family in eternal life."

She further continued:

"Denise Yvonne Dowse was the most amazing sister, a consummate, illustrious actress, mentor, and director. She was my very best friend and final family member. Denise loved all of you. I know that she is watching over us with all the love she has. I ask for privacy and your continued prayers. I will provide, at a later time, her Celebration of Life information. I will update you here."

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How did actress Denise Dowse pass away?

As mentioned in the Instagram post by her sister, Denise Dowse was hospitalized earlier this month due to her complications with viral meningitis, which put her in a coma. It appears that this is the likely cause behind the actress' demise. However, it has not yet been officially revealed by her sister or other family members.

Viral meningitis is the most common form of infection, which can cause inflammation in some regions of the central nervous system. While in most patients, the infection is removed by the body's immune system without any medical intervention, the condition can be fatal in certain age groups or immunodeficient individuals.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

"People with weakened immune systems caused by diseases, medications (such as chemotherapy), and recent organ or bone marrow transplantations" are at much risk from a meningitis infection. They also state how children younger than five or babies younger than one month with still-developing immune systems may have fatal complications from the disease.

They also mentioned:

"Non-polio enteroviruses are the most common cause of viral meningitis in the United States. Only a small number of people infected with enteroviruses will develop meningitis."

The aforementioned information hints at the possibility of a compromised immune system in the late Denise Dowse, which might have caused her demise at the age of 64. As of now, it is not known whether the actress had any additional underlying disorders.

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Exploring the legacy of Denise Dowse

Denise Yvonne Dowse was best known for her roles in Beverly Hills, 90210, where she appeared as Mrs. Yvonne Teasley and Professor Harriet Welkman for over a decade. Meanwhile, the actress is also renowned for her portrayal of Dr. Rhonda Pine in Insecure, where she appeared in six episodes within the span of three years, from 2017 to 2020.

The 64-year-old actress was active in the industry for over 34 years and garnered over 122 credited roles in various projects. According to her IMDb profile, Denise Dowse's last known role was in 2022's A Cloud So High.

Meanwhile, she served as the director of her project titled Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story and is reportedly in the post-production phase. Last year, Dowse was also associated with the podcast series Bronzeville as a vocal coach.

Following her death, it is not known how many family members (barring her sister Tracey) she left behind.