Development of postinfection epilepsy after Theiler's virus infection of C57BL/6 mice.
Viral infection of the central nervous system can lead to long-term neurologic defects, including increased risk for the development of epilepsy. We describe the development of the first mouse model of viral-induced epilepsy after intracerebral infection with Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus. Mice were monitored with long-term video-electroencephalogram at multiple time points after infection. Most mice exhibited short-term symptomatic seizures within 3 to 7 days of infection. This was followed by a distinct latent period in which no seizures were observed. Prolonged video-electroencephalogram recordings at 2, 4, and 7 months after the initial infection revealed that a significant proportion of the mice developed profound, spontaneous epileptic seizures. Neuropathologic examination revealed hippocampal sclerosis in animals with epilepsy. Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus-infected C57BL/6 mice represent a novel "hit-and-run" model to investigate mechanisms underlying viral-induced short-term symptomatic seizures, epileptogenesis, and epilepsy. Importantly, this model will also be useful to investigate novel therapies for the treatment and prevention of epilepsy.
Interdepartmental Program in Neuroscience, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
Kerry-Ann A
KA
Stewart
Karen S
KS
Wilcox
Robert S
RS
Fujinami
H Steve
HS
White
D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D006224:Cricetinae; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004679:Encephalomyelitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology*; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D017945:Theilovirus