[Bartonella hensalae encephalopathy].
BACKGROUND
Bartonella hensalae is a poorly known cause of encephalopathy in young subjects.


METHODS
A 17 year-old adolescent was admitted in a state of emergency because of frequent convulsive seizures and inter-critical drowsiness. The diagnosis of encephalopathy was made on the association of these clinical signs and electro-encephalographic abnormalities. The presence of a cat in his home, a right axillary lymph node that had appeared in a context of fever, and positive serological kinetics related this encephalopathy to a bartonellosis. The course was good.


CONCLUSIONS
Diagnosis of a Bartonella hensalae encephalopathy is based on a range of anamnesic, clinical and microbiological arguments. The potential interest of antibiotic therapy and its modalities remains to be established.
Angibaud
Gilles
G
Service de neurologie, Clinique du Pont de Chaume, 82 017 Montauban, France.
Balagué
Jean-Pierre
JP
Lafontan
Jean-François
JF
D000293:Adolescent; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018416:Bartonella henselae; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D002372:Cat-Scratch Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D002443:Ceftriaxone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002443:Ceftriaxone; D004318:Doxycycline