ABSTRACT
Eight brain magnetic resonance imagings (MRIs) and one spinal MRI of 7 small infants and children with herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) were retrospectively studied. Hypointense and hyperintense areas of gray and white matters on T1- and T2- weighted images, respectively, were commonly present, with temporal lobes being the most common lesion sites. Hemorrhagic lesions were found in 4 patients (57%). Early involvement of the white matter, as early as day 4, was a common MRI finding in these patients. One patient had relapsed encephalomyelitis, whose spinal MRI showed diffuse hyperintense T2 signals from the lumbar spinal cord to the conus medullaris. All patients but one survived with major neurological sequelae. Our results indicate that MRI is a sensitive diagnostic modality in cases of HSE, and early involvement of white matter is not an uncommon MRI finding of HSE. Spinal MRI may be helpful in the diagnosis of relapsed herpes encephalomyelitis.
Subject(s)
Encephalitis, Viral/congenital , Herpes Simplex/congenital , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Brain/pathology , Cerebral Hemorrhage/congenital , Cerebral Hemorrhage/diagnosis , Child, Preschool , Encephalitis, Viral/diagnosis , Encephalomyelitis/congenital , Encephalomyelitis/diagnosis , Female , Herpes Simplex/diagnosis , Humans , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Male , Recurrence , Spinal Cord/pathologyABSTRACT
A slow influenzal congenital infection of man (in a child aged 2.5 years) is described for the first time. The infection manifests itself by encephalomyelopathy (retarded psychomotor development, sluggish spinal pareses of the limbs) and resembles Werdnig-Hoffmann amyotrophy. Besides, one can ses neuroendocrine disorders (hypophyseal nanism, hypogonadism ) and the signs of immunodeficiency. The long-term persistence of influenza A virus, its defective form was detected in the blood and CSF by means of molecular hybridization. In addition, the summarized data on the clinical studies of congenital influenzal injuries to the CNS in children, carried out by the author are provided. The theoretical evidence for the work was experimental slow influenzal infection in mice obtained for the first time at the N.F.Gamaleia Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology (Moscow).
Subject(s)
Encephalomyelitis/congenital , Influenza, Human/congenital , Pregnancy Complications, Infectious , Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects , Child, Preschool , Chronic Disease , Encephalomyelitis/diagnosis , Encephalomyelitis/etiology , Female , Humans , Influenza A virus , Influenza, Human/diagnosis , Influenza, Human/etiology , Influenza, Human/transmission , Male , Pregnancy , Time FactorsABSTRACT
Protozoan encephalomyelitis was diagnosed post mortem in a five-day-old Friesian calf which had shown nervous signs from birth. The lesion was a subacute necrotising multifocal encephalomyelitis associated with protozoan bodies (6 X 6 microns to 16 X 30 microns). Ultrastructurally these bodies corresponded to apicomplexan meronts composed of eight to 89 merozoites which reproduced by internal budding to form paired daughter cells (endodyogeny). The merozoites were indistinguishable from Toxoplasma gondii; they reacted weakly with anti-Sarcocystis species serum and did not cross react with anti-T gondii serum. The generic identity of the sporozoan was not established, but it is unlikely to have been either Sarcocystis species or T gondii.
