title: Viral infections of the central nervous system: a case-based review.
abstract: Three patients with viral infections of the central nervous system (CNS) were evaluated on an inpatient infectious diseases consultation service within a two-week period. These cases, caused by herpes simplex virus, varicella zoster virus and enterovirus, highlight the importance of viral pathogens in causing debilitating infections of the CNS and provide examples of the utility of molecular diagnostics in evaluating patients with encephalitis and meningitis. The importance of antiviral therapy is particularly underscored by these cases, as is the variability in response of patients to such agents.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Health System, 1150 West Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5623, USA.
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Big
authors.forename: Lora A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Reineck
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Aronoff
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018792:Encephalitis, Viral / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics; D004770:Enterovirus / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008587:Meningitis, Viral / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000235:genetics