title: Recurrent optic neuritis associated with Chlamydia pneumoniae infection of the central nervous system.
abstract: It has been suggested that Chlamydia pneumoniae (C. pneumoniae) is involved in the pathogenesis of diverse diseases of the central nervous system (CNS), including multiple sclerosis. We report the case of a 12-year-old male with isolated recurrent optic neuritis and an associated CNS infection with C. pneumoniae. The patient presented with three attacks of optic neuritis within 5 months. A positive polymerase chain reaction for C. pneumoniae in the cerebrospinal fluid led to the diagnosis of a CNS infection with C. pneumoniae. After treatment with the antibiotic rifampicin, he experienced no further attacks during the follow-up period of 6 years. These findings suggest the possibility of a C. pneumoniae infection as a contributing factor or even causative event for the development of optic neuritis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics and Paediatric Neurology, Georg August University Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pohl
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rostasy
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gieffers
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maass
authors.forename: Folker
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hanefeld
mesh_terms: D000904:Antibiotics, Antitubercular / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D002648:Child; D023521:Chlamydophila Infections / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009902:Optic Neuritis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D012293:Rifampin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000904:Antibiotics, Antitubercular; D012293:Rifampin