title: Epilepsy etiology with special emphasis on immune dysfunction and neurovirology.
abstract: The etiology of epilepsy remains in most cases an enigma. Based on the finding of a genetically dependent immune dysfunction in focal epilepsies, brain specimens from 16 patients, ranging in age from 6 to 39 years and operated on for therapy-resistant focal, mainly temporal lobe epilepsy were analyzed for the presence of viral DNA. The PCR technique was used for detection of viral DNA from the herpes virus group. HSV-1 was found in 44% CMV in 50%, and HHV-6 in 25%. Three patients were positive for more than one of these viruses. The control material, consisting of only 4 brain tissue samples, showed DNA from HSV-1 in one case. Until more brain samples from controls have been examined, caution must be taken before a viral etiology is applied to focal epilepsy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University Children's Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Eeg-Olofsson
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bergström
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Osterland
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Andermann
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Olivier
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D002648:Child; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000235:genetics; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000235:genetics; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology; D010641:Phenotype; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral