Multiple sclerosis beginning in infancy.
The clinical and autopsy findings on a 6-year-old child presenting with 11 episodes of relapsing neurological symptoms since age 10 months are reported. The brain showed multiple and irregular demyelinative lesions in the cerebral and cerebellar white matter as well as in the tegmentum and base of the brain stem. This case reconfirms the existence of typical multiple sclerosis (MS) in childhood, beginning even in infancy. In addition, elevated Epstein-Barr virus antibody titers during the clinical course of this patient raise an interesting but still speculative etiological possibility for MS.
Shaw
C M
CM
Department of Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle 98195.
Alvord
E C
EC
D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000473:pathology; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008582:Meningitis, Aseptic / Q000473:pathology; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000473:pathology*; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000473:pathology
D000914:Antibodies, Viral