The use of azathioprine to ameliorate post-treatment encephalopathy associated with African trypanosomiasis

The treatment of human African sleeping sickness is complicated by a post-treatment meningoencephalitis that may be fatal. Using a mouse model this study assesses the use of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, azathioprine, in the management of this post-treatment reaction. Female NIH mice treated with the trypanocidal compound diminazene aceturate (40 mg/kg), 28 days after infection, developed a similar post-treatment reaction to that seen in humans. Administration of azathioprine (100 mg/kg) for 5 days before and 5 days after trypanocidal chemotherapy abrogated the pathology in the central nervous system although this returned approximately 15 days after cessation of azathioprine. Activated astrocytes associated with the later stages of the infection did not appear to be affected by the use of azathioprine.     

柯萨奇B病毒性脑膜炎262例流行病学调查和临床分析

目的 调查和分析2001年5月至8月间位于徐州市及周边地区发生的流行性无菌性脑膜炎的病因和临床表现。方法 对262名住院患者进行了问卷调查和病例分析，同时对患者的脑脊液和血清标本分别进行树萨奇病毒B、埃可病毒、乙脑病毒和腺病毒PCR和免疫荧光测定。结果 75例脑脊液标本中有39份呈现柯萨奇病毒BPCR反应阳性，阳性率达52%；69.8%患者血清柯萨奇病毒B抗原抗体免疫反应阳性。发病年龄从生后28天至14岁，大部分患者年龄在3-14岁。头痛的发生率为20%，10%患者畏光，40%患者有呕吐症状，发热占情恢复良好。结论 患者的临床症状和实验室检查符合病毒性脑膜炎的诊断标准。此次病毒性脑膜为暴发流行的病因是柯萨奇病毒B，传播方式推测与柯萨奇病毒B的呼吸道传播有关。     

Fatal meningoencephalitis due to Bacillus anthracis

Abstract: We report the first case of fatal anthrax meningoencephalitis in Hong Kong over the past 60 years. A 13 year-old boy presented with right lower quadrant pain, diarrhoea and progressive headache. Lumbar puncture yielded gram positive bacilli initially thought to be Bacillus cereus, a contaminant. He was treated with ampicillin and cefotaxime, but died 3 days after hospitalization. The organism isolated from blood and cerebrospinal fluid was later identified as Bacillus anthracis.     

Complementary findings in clinical and epidemiologic features of mumps and mumps meningoencephalitis in children without mumps vaccination

BACKGROUND: Mumps vaccine has not yet been included in the routine vaccination programme, for this reason mumps is still one of the most common infections for children in Turkey. One of the major complication of mumps is meningoencephalitis, which although usually heals spontaneously, it may cause neurologic complications. METHODS: This study was undertaken to investigate epidemiologic and demographic characteristics in children with mumps and mumps meningoencephalitis and clinical/laboratory findings in children with mumps meningoencephalitis diagnosed over a 11 year period. A total of 2422 mumps and 135 mumps meningoencephalitis cases were covered in this study which constitutes one of the largest series of mumps meningoencephalitis in the literature. The mean age of mumps and mumps meningoencephalitis cases were 6.6 +/- 2.7 and 7.6 +/- 2.6 years, respectively. RESULTS: There was a male predominance both among the cases of mumps and mumps meningoencephalitis. The age and seasonal distributions were similar in the mumps and mumps meningoencephalitis groups. The most common symptoms of mumps meningoencephalitis were fever (97%), vomiting (94%) and headache (88.8%). The mean cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) total cell count and lymphocyte count were 540 +/- 460/mm(3) and 300 +/- 330/mm(3), respectively. The mean CSF protein and glucose levels were found to be 56.97 +/- 27.94 mg/dL and 53.67 +/- 15.46 mg/dL, respectively. The mean of CSF/blood glucose ratio was 0.53 +/- 0.16. The mean duration of hospitalization in mumps meningoencephalitis cases was found to be 5.1 +/- 2.4 days and this was longer in boys (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: In patients with mumps meningoencephalitis, higher CSF protein levels and lower CSF glucose/blood glucose ratio were associated with longer hospitalization periods. There was no death.     

Acute flaccid paralysis due to West nile virus infection in adults: A paradigm shift entity

Three cases of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) with preceding fever are described. One patient had a quadriparesis with a florid meningoencephalitic picture and the other two had asymmetric flaccid paralysis with fasciculations at the onset of illness. Magnetic resonance imaging in two cases showed prominent hyperintensitities in the spinal cord and brainstem with prominent involvement of the grey horn (polio-myelitis). Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) polymerase chain reaction was positive for West Nile virus (WNV) in the index patient. All three cases had a positive WNV immunoglobulin M antibody in serum/CSF and significantly high titer of WNV neutralizing antibody in serum, clearly distinguishing the infection from other Flaviviridae such as Japanese encephalitis. WNV has been recognized in India for many decades; however, AFP has not been adequately described. WNV is a flavivirus that is spread by Culex mosquitoes while they take blood meals from humans and lineage 1 is capable of causing a devastating neuro-invasive disease with fatal consequences or severe morbidity. We describe the first three laboratory confirmed cases of WNV induced AFP from Kerala and briefly enumerate the salient features of this emerging threat.     

Role of Maternal Antibodies in Infants with Severe Diseases Related to Human Parechovirus Type 3

Human parechovirus type 3 (HPeV3) is an emerging pathogen that causes sepsis and meningoencephalitis in young infants. To test the hypothesis that maternal antibodies can protect this population, we measured neutralizing antibody titers (NATs) to HPeV3 and other genotypes (HPeV1 and HPeV6) in 175 cord blood samples in Japan. The seropositivity rate (>1:32) for HPeV3 was 61%, similar to that for the other genotypes, but decreased significantly as maternal age increased (p<0.001). Furthermore, during the 2014 HPeV3 epidemic, prospective measurement of NATs to HPeV3 in 45 patients with severe diseases caused by HPeV3 infection showed low NATs (<1:16) at onset and persistently high NATs (>1:512) until age 6 months. All intravenous immunoglobulin samples tested elicited high NATs to HPeV3. Our findings indicate that maternal antibodies to HPeV3 may help protect young infants from severe diseases related to HPeV3 and that antibody supplementation may benefit these patients.     

Monitoring the uptake of live avian vaccines by their detection in feathers

Protection against diseases caused by the avian viruses, Marek's disease, Infectious laryngotracheitis, chicken anemia and turkey meningoencephalitis is achieved by live vaccines. The application quality is important to assure proper uptake in commercial flocks. We describe a novel evaluation method for the vaccination process by sequential monitoring the vaccine viruses in feathers. Feather collection is easy, non-invasive and non-lethal for the birds, therefore advantageous for monitoring purposes. To demonstrate the vaccine virus presence, an innovative assay of nested real-time amplification was approached because vaccine viruses presence in vivo is less abundant comparing to virulent wild-type isolates.The Marek's disease virus vaccine virus, Rispens/CVI988, in feathers of commercial flock was detected from 4 to 7 days and for at least 3 months post-vaccination, until the survey stopped. As the drinking water route was newly adopted for Infectious laryngotracheitis vaccination, one or two vaccine doses/bird were administered. The virus uptake was detected in feathers between 2 and 20 days-post-vaccination. With a doubled vaccine dose the positivity bird rate was higher. For the first time the chicken anemia vaccine virus presence in chicken feathers was demonstrated between 14 and 35 days-post-vaccination. No previous studies were available, thus in parallel to feathers the vaccine virus was demonstrated in the livers and spleens. The turkey meningoencephalitis vaccine virus uptake in turkey feather-pulps is even more innovative because this is the first turkey virus amplified from feather-pulps. The vaccine virus presence resemble the kinetics of the other 3 viruses, 3–21 days-post-vaccination. Detecting the specific antibodies following vaccination possessed a lower sensitivity than vaccine virus demonstration in feathers. In summary, the presented assay can be adopted for the quality evaluation of the vaccination process in poultry.     

Murine Typhus as a Cause of Cognitive Impairment: Case Report and a Review of the Literature

BackgroundMurine typhus is a systemic febrile illness caused by Rickettsia typhi, a gram-negative, obligate intracellular bacterium. It is found worldwide, including in the United States, where cases are concentrated in suburban areas of Texas and California. The disease manifests with fever, headache, and rash. Central nervous system involvement is rare in both adults and children. Aseptic meningitis and meningoencephalitis are the most common neurological presentations, occurring in 2% to 5% of cases. Neurological dysfunction, including memory impairment and behavioral alterations, can occur and usually are reversible. Long-term deficits are considered rare even in untreated cases and have not been described in the pediatric population.MethodsSingle case report.ResultsWe describe a previously healthy 17-year-old girl infected with R. typhi who developed meningoencephalitis that resulted in chronic cognitive impairment despite treatment.ConclusionMurine typhus should be considered in the differential diagnosis of aseptic meningitis and meningoencephalitis. Early diagnosis and treatment can prevent death and long-term morbidity.     

隐球菌性脑膜脑炎的CT、MRI影像表现及其诊断意义

目的 :探讨隐球菌性脑膜脑炎的CT及MRI影像表现及其诊断价值。材料和方法 :回顾对比分析 2 6例经脑脊液墨汁染色证实隐球菌脑膜脑炎头颅CT及MRI的影像学改变。结果 :早期CT及MRI表现为正常、弥漫性脑水肿、轻度脑积水 ;亚急性期及慢性期表现为脑萎缩、脑积水、胶状假囊、脑内多灶低密度区及异常信号区、隐球菌瘤 ,脑膜增厚、强化 ,以基底池、环池、侧裂池及四叠池为著 ;脑内强化血管影增多。结论 :CT及MRI检查对隐球菌性脑膜脑炎病变部位、病理形态及变化、发展的阶段可提供定位的诊断依据 ,有助于临床分型、病期的判定、选择治疗方案及估计预后、治疗情况。