Serum S-100B protein levels in patients with herpes simplex encephalitis and tick-borne encephalitis--a marker of CNS damage during the initial stage of disease.
OBJECTIVE
This study was mainly aimed at the comparative analysis of serum S-100B protein in patients with herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE). S-100B protein is an established biochemical marker of astroglial damage in central nervous system (CNS) injury.


METHODS
Serum levels of S-100B were measured using a commercial immunolumino-metric assay (LIA).


RESULTS
Patients with HSE (n = 17) had significantly higher levels of S-100B with median 0.351 microg/l (range 0.017-0.636) compared to patients with TBE (n = 15), who had 0.04 microg/l (range 0.001-0.542) (p < 0.001), as well as controls (n = 17) 0.054 (range 0.004-0.214) (p < 0.001). 11/17 patients with HSE had serum S-100B levels above 0.2 microg/l, in contrast to 1/15 patients with TBE and 1/17 of the control patients. The patients with HSE with serum levels below 0.2 microg/l had a mean 3.2 days disease duration, while patients with levels above 0.2 microg/l had 6 days disease duration.


CONCLUSIONS
The serum levels of S-100B in the acute stage of disease were significantly higher in patients with HSE than in patients with TBE or controls. A role for the use of serum S-100B in monitoring CNS damage during initial stage of disease in HSE is suggested.
Studahl
Marie
M
Dept. of Infectious Diseases, The Sahlgrenska Academy, Göteborg University, Göteborg, Sweden. marie.studahl@infect.gu.se
Günther
Göran
G
Rosengren
Lars
L
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018450:Disease Progression; D020803:Encephalitis, Herpes Simplex / Q000097:blood* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D004675:Encephalitis, Tick-Borne / Q000097:blood* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000097:blood* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D064568:S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000097:blood* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D013997:Time Factors
D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D064568:S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit; D009418:S100 Proteins