Acute sensory and autonomic neuropathy: possible association with coxsackie B virus infection.
This report describes a 26 year old woman with a Coxsackie B virus infection complicated by an acute pandysautonomic and sensory neuropathy. Electrophysiological studies suggested an axonal neuropathy. A sural nerve biopsy performed early in the disease showed axonal degeneration with a virtual absence of unmyelinated fibres and moderate loss of myelinated fibres, mainly affecting the small fibres; this differs from previous reports. An immune-mediated or direct virus action might explain the pathogenesis of this unusual evolution of a viral infection.
Pavesi
G
G
Institute of Neurology, University of Parma, Italy.
Gemignani
F
F
Macaluso
G M
GM
Ventrua
P
P
Magnani
G
G
Fiocchi
A
A
Medici
D
D
Marbini
A
A
Mancia
D
D
D000328:Adult; D001342:Autonomic Nervous System Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D001369:Axons / Q000473:pathology; D001706:Biopsy; D003384:Coxsackievirus Infections / Q000473:pathology*; D029822:Enterovirus B, Human / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000502:physiology; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000473:pathology; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D012677:Sensation / Q000502:physiology*; D013497:Sural Nerve / Q000473:pathology; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology