title: Diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae childhood encephalitis: systematic review of 58 cases.
abstract: Most of the knowledge on Mycoplasma pneumoniae encephalitis in children is based on case reports or small case series. The aim of this study was to assess the important features of the disease by a systematic review of previously published cases. Overall, 58 cases (22 female, 36 male; median age 10 years, range: 2-17 years), derived from 38 reports, were reviewed. Forty-five patients (76%) had flulike or respiratory symptoms prior to the onset of neurologic disease, and 23 patients (40%) presented with pulmonary infiltrates. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pleocytosis (mostly mononuclear cells) and elevated cerebrospinal fluid protein counts were present in 34 (59%) and 21 (36%) patients, respectively. Cranial computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) abnormalities were seen in 18 (31%) and 17 (29%) patients, respectively, whereby various different presentations were observed. Forty-four patients (76%) received antimicrobial therapy active against mycoplasmas, most frequently erythromycin (n = 29) or minocycline (n = 6). Only in one patient, cure was directly attributed to antimicrobial therapy (with chloramphenicol) by the respective authors. Thirty-three patients (57%) recovered without sequelae, 20 patients (34%) had minor to major sequelae, and 5 patients (9%) died. A high cerebrospinal fluid cell count, cerebrospinal fluid protein elevation, and higher age were associated with an unfavorable outcome.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hospital Hygiene, Clinical Institute for Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, University of Vienna, University Hospital Vienna, Vienna, Austria. florian.daxboeck@akh-wien.ac.at
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Daxboeck
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Blacky
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Seidl
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Krause
authors.forename: Ojan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Assadian
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000166:cytology; D002556:Cerebrospinal Fluid Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009177:Mycoplasma pneumoniae; D011019:Pneumonia, Mycoplasma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D002556:Cerebrospinal Fluid Proteins