title: Infection and Stroke: an Update on Recent Progress.
abstract: The role of infection in cerebrovascular disease is complex and remains incompletely understood. Over the last 5 years, investigators have made notable inroads in untangling this thorny topic. In this review, we examine these recent developments, concentrating on four aspects of the relationship between infection and stroke. We first discuss specific infectious agents as direct causes of stroke, focusing on recent work implicating herpesviruses and HIV in cerebral vasculopathy. We then discuss systemic infection of any type as a stroke trigger, focusing on the relationship of infection to timing of acute stroke, both in children and adults, as well as the role of vaccination in stroke prevention. We examine the evidence for chronic infection or "infectious burden" as a stroke risk factor. Finally, we discuss recent work on infection as a risk factor for increased morbidity after stroke, possible mechanisms mediating this effect, and the evidence for prophylactic antibiotics.
authors.affiliation: The Neurological Institute of New York, 710 W. 168th St., 14th floor, New York, NY, 10032, USA. ecm2137@cumc.columbia.edu.
authors.forename: Eliza C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.affiliation: The Neurological Institute of New York, 710W. 168th St., Room 642, New York, NY, 10032, USA. mse13@cumc.columbia.edu.
authors.forename: Mitchell S V
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Elkind
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology*; D014611:Vaccination
keywords: HIV; Herpesvirus; Infection; Infectious burden; Stroke; Vaccination