title: [Respiratory syncytial virus brainstem encephalitis in a 7-year-old boy].
abstract: The literature reports that neurological complications of childhood respiratory diseases due to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) fluctuate between 1 and 40% of cases. They mostly involve central apnea - often the first symptom of infection - anoxia, and ischemic brain damage due to severe sudden weakness in infants, and seizures and consciousness disorders more or less associated with focalized neurological deficiency proving an encephalitis lesion. We report the case of brainstem encephalitis in a 7-year-old boy with RSV A nasopharyngitis, with meningitis, positive polymerase chain reaction in cerebrospinal fluid and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) abnormalities, which was explained by viral replication encephalitis. Based on a literature review, we discuss the main aspects of epidemiology and physiopathology of the main neurological complication of RSV. Most of them have not been fully investigated and only a few articles report encephalitis. As far as central apnea is concerned, an animal experimental hypothesis surprisingly suggests a peripheral mechanism.
authors: Service de neuropédiatrie, hôpital des enfants, 330, avenue de Grande-Bretagne, 31059 Toulouse, France. tison.c@chu-toulouse.fr
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Tison-Chambellan
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Cheuret
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Cances
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Karsenty
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Le Camus
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Sevely
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Chaix
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D018792:Encephalitis, Viral / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008587:Meningitis, Viral / Q000175:diagnosis; D010612:Pharyngitis / Q000821:virology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D018113:Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000821:virology; D012249:Rhombencephalon / Q000821:virology*