Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis following infectious mononucleosis.
Two months following an Epstein-Barr virus infection, a 17-year-old white female presented with seizures, intermittent visual changes, and altered mental status. Magnetic resonance imaging showed white matter changes of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis with a predilection for posterior cerebral artery distributions but without radiological evidence of arteritis. Epstein-Barr virus titers and polymerase chain reaction analysis results for the virus were consistent with postinfectious acute disseminated encephalomyelitis. The symptoms and signs improved following treatment with high-dose corticosteroids and intravenous immunoglobulin. Although Epstein-Barr virus can cause acute viral encephalomyelitis, the authors report a case of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis months after acute Epstein-Barr virus infection.
Bahadori
Hamid R
HR
Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA. bahadori@musc.edu
Williams
Virginia C
VC
Turner
Robert P
RP
Rumboldt
Zoran
Z
Reigart
J Routt
JR
Fowler
Sandra L
SL
Chavis
Pamela S
PS
Maria
Bernard L
BL
D000293:Adolescent; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D004673:Encephalomyelitis, Acute Disseminated / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007244:Infectious Mononucleosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods