title: Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis associated with acute Toxoplasma gondii Infection.
abstract: Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis is an acute demyelinating disorder of the central nervous system, which principally affects the brain and spinal cord. It usually follows a benign infection or vaccination in children. Although a number of infectious agents have been implicated in acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, Toxoplasma gondii infection has not been described previously in children. Acquired T. gondii infection presents with lymphadenopathy and fever and usually spontaneously resolves in immunocompetent patients. We describe a previously healthy 10-year-old boy with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis associated with acute acquired Toxoplasma gondii infection, the symptoms of which initially began with nuchal stiffness, difficulty in walking, and urinary and stool incontinence; he later had development of motor and sensory impairment in both lower extremities and classical magnetic resonance imaging lesions suggestive of the disease. The patient recovered completely after the specific therapy for acquired T. gondii infection and pulse prednisolone. Although acute acquired Toxoplasma gondii infection has not been reported previously in association with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, clinicians should keep in mind this uncommon cause of a common disease when evaluating a patient with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis.
authors: Department of Pediatric Neurology, Dr. Sami Ulus Maternity and Children's Health and Diseases Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. aysechild@gmail.com
authors: Ayse
authors: A
authors: Aksoy
authors: Gonul
authors: G
authors: Tanir
authors: Mehpare
authors: M
authors: Ozkan
authors: Melek
authors: M
authors: Oguz
authors: Yasemin Tasci
authors: YT
authors: Yıldız
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D003049:Coccidiostats / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004673:Encephalomyelitis, Acute Disseminated / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011739:Pyrimethamine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology*; D013411:Sulfadiazine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D003049:Coccidiostats; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D013411:Sulfadiazine; D011239:Prednisolone; D008775:Methylprednisolone; D011739:Pyrimethamine