title: Epstein-Barr virus encephalitis: clinical observations in nine Chinese children.
abstract: Nine Chinese children (four males, five females) in whom serology showed Epstein-Barr virus infection were studied retrospectively. They were from 1.5 to 14 years of age. Various symptoms and signs, including disturbance of consciousness, visual hallucination, cranial neuropathies and sphincter dysfunction, led to initial clinical impressions of encephalitis, encephalomyelitis and neuro-degenerative disease. Electroencephalography showed focal spikes over the frontal, occipital, temporal and parietal areas. The patients underwent brain computed tomography and/or magnetic resonance imaging, and three of them underwent HMPAO SPECT. Eight patients appeared normal neurologically during follow-up, and the single patient who had spastic quadriparesis improved gradually. Though visual hallucination is not a specific presentation, it is a peculiar picture of Epstein-Barr virus encephalitis. Epstein-Barr virus encephalitis seemed to be self-limiting without specific treatment in this group.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan, R.O.C.
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Shian
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Chi
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Mak
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000503:physiopathology; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000503:physiopathology