Case study: an infection-triggered, autoimmune subtype of anorexia nervosa.
OBJECTIVE
Certain cases of anorexia nervosa (AN) may be similar to the recently described subtype of childhood-onset obsessive-compulsive disorder hypothesized to be one of the pediatric infection-triggered autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders (PITANDs).


METHODS
Three clinical cases are reported. The first patient is a 12-year-old boy whose AN worsened acutely after a group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal (GABHS) infection. His symptoms were alleviated after antibiotic treatment. Two other patients with possible PITANDs-related AN are described.


RESULTS
An infection-triggered process may contribute to the pathogenesis of a subtype of AN.


CONCLUSIONS
Future research is needed to explore the nature of PITANDs and their relationship with AN.
Sokol
M S
MS
Eating Disorders Program, Menninger Clinic, Topeka, KS, USA. sokolms@menninger.edu
Gray
N S
NS
D000293:Adolescent; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000145:classification / Q000209:etiology; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000209:etiology*