title: Autoimmune encephalitis: a case series and comprehensive review of the literature.
abstract: Encephalitic syndromes are a common medical emergency. The importance of early diagnosis and appropriate treatment is paramount. If initial investigations for infectious agents prove negative, other diagnoses must be considered promptly. Autoimmune encephalitides are being increasingly recognized as important (and potentially reversible) non-infectious causes of an encephalitic syndrome. We describe four patients with autoimmune encephalitis--3 auto-antibody positive, 1 auto-antibody negative--treated during the last 18 months. A comprehensive review of the literature in this expanding area will be of interest to the infectious diseases, general medical and neurology community.
authors.affiliation: The Monsall Unit, Department of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, North Manchester General Hospital, Manchester, UK. tomwingfield@hotmail.co.uk
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wingfield
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McHugh
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vas
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Richardson
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wilkins
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bonington
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Varma
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004660:Encephalitis; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D050031:Hashimoto Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010951:Plasma Exchange
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous