Postvaccinal encephalomyelitis without cutaneous vaccination reaction.
A 5-year-old girl developed a progressive febrile neurological illness consisting of right focal seizures, right hemiparesis, and stupor evolving over a period of six weeks. During the month preceding the onset of her illness she had received two apparently unsuccessful smallpox vaccinations without a skin lesion. Elevation of cerebrospinal fluid gamma globulin and findings on brain biopsy were consistent with postinfectious encephalitis, and a simultaneous increase in serum vaccinia antibody titer suggested that the illness was postvaccinial encephalitis. Clinically, the child developed a severe extrapyramidal movement disorder during the acute phase followed by nine months of stuporous unresponsiveness, yet subsequently made a substantial recovery.
D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004673:Encephalomyelitis, Acute Disseminated / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology*; D012900:Smallpox Vaccine / Q000009:adverse effects*
D012900:Smallpox Vaccine