Detection of coronavirus in the central nervous system of a child with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis.
We present a case in which human coronavirus was detected in the cerebrospinal fluid of a child presumed to have acute disseminated encephalomyelitis. In murine models, coronavirus has been found to cause a chronic demyelinating condition that resembles multiple sclerosis. Additionally, there is in vitro evidence of human coronavirus's ability to infect neural cells. This case report provides additional support for the hypothesis that coronavirus may be an important etiologic factor in the pathogenesis of demyelinating disease in humans.
Yeh
E Ann
EA
Department of Neurology, State University of New York at Buffalo, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Buffalo, New York, USA. ann.yeh@sympatico.ca
Collins
Arlene
A
Cohen
Michael E
ME
Duffner
Patricia K
PK
Faden
Howard
H
D000293:Adolescent; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000821:virology; D017934:Coronavirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018352:Coronavirus Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D004673:Encephalomyelitis, Acute Disseminated / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction