Henipavirus Encephalitis: Recent Developments and Advances

The genus Henipavirus within the family Paramyxoviridae includes the Hendra virus (HeV) and Nipah virus (NiV) which were discovered in the 1990s in Australia and Malaysia, respectively, after emerging to cause severe and often fatal outbreaks in humans and animals. While HeV is confined to Australia, more recent NiV outbreaks have been reported in Bangladesh, India and the Philippines. The clinical manifestations of both henipaviruses in humans appear similar, with a predominance of an acute encephalitic syndrome. Likewise, the pathological features are similar and characterized by disseminated, multi‐organ vasculopathy comprising endothelial infection/ulceration, vasculitis, vasculitis‐induced thrombosis/occlusion, parenchymal ischemia/microinfarction, and parenchymal cell infection in the central nervous system (CNS), lung, kidney and other major organs. This unique dual pathogenetic mechanism of vasculitis‐induced microinfarction and neuronal infection causes severe tissue damage in the CNS. Both viruses can also cause relapsing encephalitis months and years after the acute infection. Many animal models studied to date have largely confirmed the pathology of henipavirus infection, and provided the means to test new therapeutic agents and vaccines. As the bat is the natural host of henipaviruses and has worldwide distribution, spillover events into human populations are expected to occur in the future.     

The Medicines of Katherine,Duchess of Norfolk, 1463–71

This article discusses the medicinal remedies consumed at the court of the Yorkist kings of England in the light of a lawsuit in the court of common pleas (edited in an appendix) between John Clerk, king’s apothecary to Edward IV, and Katherine Neville, Duchess of Norfolk, over the partial non-payment of the apothecary’s bills. It argues that the consumption of apothecaries’ wares in large quantities was not merely a direct result of the excessive diet of the late medieval aristocracy, but in itself represented a facet of the conspicuous consumption inherent in the lifestyle of this particular social class. The remedies supplied by Clerk over a period of several years and listed in the legal record are set in the context of contemporary collections of medical recipes, particularly a ‘dispensary’ in the British Library’s Harleian collection generally attributed to the king’s apothecary.     

右美托咪定联合布托啡诺用于病毒性脑炎患者镇痛镇静的临床观察

目的 分析病毒性脑炎患者应用联合右美托咪定及布托啡诺治疗的临床效果.方法 将64例病毒性脑炎患者随机分为对照组及观察组,每组32例.以接受右美托咪定镇痛治疗者为对照组,以联合接受右美托咪定及布托啡诺镇痛治疗者为观察组,对比两组接受治疗后的镇痛镇静效果及药物副作用发生率.结果 观察组接受治疗后止痛起效时间、镇静起效时间、止痛持续时间及镇静持续时间分别为(10.12±2.77) min、(17.71 ±3.51)min、(766.61 ±86.12) min及(653.55±98.32) min明显短于对照组的(13.61 ±3.61)min、(21.67 ±3.26) min、(731.21 ±78.24) min及(610.27 ±86.38) min(P＜0.05);同时治疗前两组生活质量各项评分比较未见统计学差异(P＞0.05),经治疗后观察组生活质量各项评分改善较对照组更为明显(P＜0.05).此外两组药物副作用发生率比较未见统计学差异(P＞0.05).结论 联合右美托咪定及布托啡诺治疗可显著提高病毒性脑炎患者的镇痛镇静效果.     

Prevention of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia and toxoplasmic encephalitis in human immunodeficiency virus infected patients: a clinical approach comparing aerosolized pentamidine and pyrimethamine/sulfadoxine

Summary The incidence of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) and toxoplasmic encephalitis (TE) was analyzed in 83 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients who inhaled aerosolized pentamidine (AP) either for primary prophylaxis (group la) or secondary prophylaxis (group IIa) of PCP. These cohorts were compared with two historical groups of patients who took Fansidar (pyrimethamine/sulfadoxine) for primary prophylaxis (group lb) or secondary prophylaxis (group IIb) of PCP. The follow-up was 3—41 months (median 8 months). PCP did not occur in group la but was seen in 1 patient of group Ib (5%). TE was observed in 3 patients of group Ia (7.3%) and in 1 patient of group Ib (5%). PCP relapses were seen in 5 patients of group IIa (11.9%) and in 3 patients of group Ilb (6.9%), whereas TE occurred in 13 patients of group IIa (30.9%) and in 1 patient of group IIb (2.3%). 20.3% of patients with CD4⁺ counts < 100/l and only 7.7% of those with CD4⁺ counts > 100/l developed toxoplasmosis. In conclusion, Fansidar rather than AP prophylaxis should be recommended for patients with a history of PCP or toxoplasmosis and for all HIV-infected patients with CD4⁺ counts 100/l. In patients with CD4⁺ lymphocyte counts between 100 and 200/l, AP prophylaxis appears appropriate.Abbreviations AIDS acquired immunodeficiency syndrome - AP aerosolized pentamidine - FDA Food and Drug Administration - HIV human immunodeficiency virus - IgG immunoglobulin G - PCP Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia - TE toxoplasmic encephalitis - TMP/SMX trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole     

甲基丙二酸血症1例病例报告

目的 探讨甲基丙二酸血症被误诊为糖尿病酮症酸中毒、病毒性脑炎的原因。方法 对我院收治的先后被误诊为糖尿病酮症酸中毒、病毒性脑炎的甲基丙二酸血症患儿的临床资料进行描述分析。入院先后误诊为糖尿病酮症酸中毒、病毒性脑炎,最后确诊甲基丙二酸血症。结果 本例患儿具有呼吸深大、浅昏迷、高血糖、酸中毒等临床特点,临床上极易误诊为糖尿病酮症酸中毒,而此患儿颅脑MRI表现又容易误诊为病毒性脑炎。根据串联质谱血酰基肉碱分析示丙酰肉碱、丙酰肉碱与乙酰肉碱比值增高;尿液有机酸分析示甲基丙二酸及甲基枸橼酸增高,确诊为甲基丙二酸血症。结论 MMA临床表现不具特异性,应加强MMA的早期识别能力,对可疑患儿及早行串联质谱血酰基肉碱、气相色谱-质谱尿有机酸检测,减少误诊发生。     

以急性脑干脑炎及脊髓炎起病的单纯型甲基丙二酸尿症1例

MUT 基因突变引起的甲基丙二酰辅酶A 变位酶缺陷是我国单纯型甲基丙二酸尿症的主要病因。该文报道我国首例以急性脑干脑炎和脊髓炎样形式起病的MUT 型患者,探讨甲基丙二酸尿症的复杂临床表型。患儿,女,3 岁2 个月时因发热伴肢体进行性无力3 d,呼吸困难伴意识障碍1 d 就诊。头颅MRI 扫描提示双侧苍白球及脑干背侧对称片状高信号,脊髓MRI 扫描提示急性脊髓炎样改变。临床诊断为"病毒性脑炎、中枢型呼吸衰竭?",血液丙酰肉碱(6.83 μmol/L,参考值1.0~5.0 μmol/L)增高,尿甲基丙二酸(133.2 mmol/mol肌酐,参考值 0.2~3.6 mmol/mol 肌酐)显著增高,血清总同型半胱氨酸正常。MUT 基因存在c.1663C>T 和c.1630_1631GG>TA 突变,其中c.1663C>T(p.A555T)为新突变,确诊为MUT 型甲基丙二酸尿症。经特殊饮食、维生素B12、左卡尼汀治疗后,患儿病情逐渐好转。甲基丙二酸尿症临床表现复杂,早期的代谢筛查及基因诊断是鉴别病型、指导治疗的关键技术。     

北京地区病毒性脑炎患者病原体的分离和初步鉴定

１９９１年夏秋季，我们从４１例北京儿童医院临床诊断为病毒性脑炎（非乙脑）患者的７５份急性期血和／或脑脊液中分离到３３株病毒。对其中１２株进行电镜观察，电镜下均见大小相同的球形病毒颗粒，毒粒的直径约为４４．７８±１．３５ｕｍ，无囊膜，具双层蛋白外壳，视野内多见空心颗粒。超薄切片显示病毒在感染细胞的胞浆内发生，直径约为４７．６±２．３ｕｍ。正常细胞中未见病毒颗粒。对其中３株病毒进行理化性状分析，多次试验均显示该病毒抵抗５＇－碘脱氧尿苷，抵抗乙醚，耐酸，能在地鼠肾ＢＨＫ－２１和白纹伊蚊Ｃ６／３６细胞上增殖并出现细胞病变。该病毒与本室制备的披膜病毒科甲组、乙脑病毒和布尼亚病毒科的组特异性免疫腹水均不反应。脑内接种３日龄乳小白鼠可引起不规律的发病和死亡。上述结果表明，该病毒是一类４５ｕｍ左右、无囊膜、耐酸的ＲＮＡ病毒。     

儿童中枢神经系统感染治疗疗程与腰椎穿刺检查系列建议之一——病毒性脑（膜）炎治疗疗程与腰椎穿刺检查建议

中枢神经系统感染是儿童神经系统常见疾病,也是临床住院的常见病种;中枢神经系统感染的病原以细菌和病毒感染较为常见,而结核菌、真菌、支原体感染相对少见;不同病原的中枢神经系统感染临床上有其共性表现又有不同病原感染疾病的特点;中枢神经系统感染的诊断包括病原学确诊或临床疑诊;不同的治疗转归其治疗疗程或腰穿检查与复查时间均缺乏研究性证据,困扰临床一线工作。为此,中华医学会儿科学分会神经学组组织的专家组制订了“儿童中枢神经系统感染治疗疗程与腰椎穿刺检查系列建议”,希望能为这一疾病的诊治提供参考。     

MRI characteristics of brainstem encephalitis in hand–foot–mouth disease induced by enterovirus type 71—Will different MRI manifestations be helpful for prognosis?

The MRI characteristics of 21 HFMD patients with brainstem encephalitis resulting from EV71 infection were examined to identify lesion patterns helpful in disease classification and prognosis. The author reviewed the clinical and MRI data of 21 children with brainstem encephalitis infected during the EV71 outbreak in Hainan, China from May 2008 to September 2010. Thirteen cases of brainstem encephalitis were classified as type I based on unilateral or bilateral symmetrical patch-like hyperintense T₁ and T₂ MRI signals restricted to the posterior brainstem. In a significant minority of these cases (6/13), damage to the spinal ventral horn was also found. Among these 13 type I cases, 2 patients died, 7 recovered fully, and 4 suffered from various neurological sequelae. Eight cases were classified with type II brainstem encephalitis based on a vague, speckled hyperintense T₁ and T₂ signal pattern in the posterior brainstem. Six of these patients recovered fully, and 2 cases suffered from mild sequelae. Reexamination by MRI revealed an enduring lesion in only one type II case, restricted to the medulla oblongata. The prognosis of type II cases was better than that of type I cases. The lesion pattern revealed by MRI can distinguish type I from type II brainstem encephalitis due to EV71 infection and may prove valuable for prognosis. While lesions were usually located in the tegmental part of the brainstem in both patient groups, type I cases also demonstrated spinal, thalamic, and cortical lesions.