Association of herpes simplex virus encephalitis and paraneoplastic encephalitis - a clinico-pathological study.
A 57 year-old woman developed acute limbic encephalitis and brainstem dysfunction. Anti-HU antibodies were repeatedly detected in serum and CSF. Postmortem examination showed necrotic and hemorrhagic lesions in the temporal lobes characteristic of herpes simplex virus encephalitis, which was confirmed by immunocytochemistry, and Purkinje cell loss with proliferation of Bergman glia and myelin loss in the external aspect of the dentate nuclei characteristic of paraneoplastic encephalitis. PCR-assay performed on temporal tissue extracts was positive for HSV-1. There was no identifiable neoplasm. This unusual association raises the possibility of a link between the two diseases.
Sharshar
T
T
Service de Réanimation Médicale, Hôpital Raymond Poincaré, 104, bd Raymond-Poincaré, 92380 Garches, France.
Auriant
I
I
Dorandeu
A
A
Saghatchian
M
M
Bélec
L
L
Benyahia
B
B
Mabro
M
M
Raphaël
J C
JC
Gajdos
P
P
Delattre
J Y
JY
Gray
F
F
D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D001706:Biopsy; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000473:pathology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D051959:ELAV Proteins; D020803:Encephalitis, Herpes Simplex / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009336:Necrosis; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D020361:Paraneoplastic Syndromes, Nervous System / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000473:pathology
D000906:Antibodies; D004279:DNA, Viral; D051959:ELAV Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins