title: An atypical case of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis associated with cytomegalovirus infection.
abstract: We present the case of a young man admitted to our hospital for persistent headache associated with fever, retrorbitary pain and vomiting, who rapidly developed encephalopathy with drowsiness, paraplegia, hypoesthesia with a D6 sensory level and urinary retention. Brain and spinal cord MRI revealed findings compatible with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) and microbiological tests documented a cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. CMV infection is extraordinarily associated with ADEM, but must be included in microbiological tests, because early diagnosis and treatment ameliorate the neurological outcome.
authors: Institute of Neurology, Department of Geriatrics, Neurosciences and Orthopedic, Catholic University, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: chiaradefino@me.com.
authors: Chiara
authors: C
authors: De Fino
authors: Institute of Neurology, Department of Geriatrics, Neurosciences and Orthopedic, Catholic University, Rome, Italy; Fondazione Don Gnocchi-ONLUS, Milan, Italy.
authors: Viviana
authors: V
authors: Nociti
authors: Institute of Neurology, Department of Geriatrics, Neurosciences and Orthopedic, Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Modoni
authors: Institute of Neurology, Department of Geriatrics, Neurosciences and Orthopedic, Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
authors: Alessandra
authors: A
authors: Bizzarro
authors: Institute of Neurology, Department of Geriatrics, Neurosciences and Orthopedic, Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
authors: Massimiliano
authors: M
authors: Mirabella
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D004673:Encephalomyelitis, Acute Disseminated / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology*; D015774:Ganciclovir / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous; D015774:Ganciclovir
keywords: ADEM; CMV; IVIg; MRI; Spinal cord