RE: GNL Human herpesvirus-6 associated encephalitis with subsequent infantile spasms and

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Human herpesvirus-6 associated encephalitis with subsequent infantile spasms

and

cerebellar astrocytoma.

Rantala H, Mannonen L, Ahtiluoto S, Linnavuori K, Herva R, Vaheri A,

Koskiniemi

M

Department of Paediatrics, University of Oulu, Finland.

Heikki.Rantala@...

Dev Med Child Neurol 2000 Jun;42(6):418-21

A 14-month-old girl presented after 3 days of fever, floppiness, and diffuse

urticarial exanthem. She developed encephalitis and carditis and 1 week

later,

intractable seizures. Initial CT and MRI showed no changes in the brain

parenchyma. On days 14 and 34 after the onset of symptoms, a human

herpesvirus-6

(HHV-6) genome in cerebrospinal fluid was identified by polymerase chain

reaction (PCR). Convulsions became more frequent and 11 weeks from the

onset,

they changed to typical infantile spasms with hypsarrhythmic

electroencephalogram. She gradually lost her social contact and ability to

walk

and sit. Eleven months after the primary infection, a repeated MRI of the

brain

revealed a cystic tumour of 2 cm in diameter near the vermis. The tumour was

surgically removed, and shown to be a pilocytic astrocytoma on

histopathological

examination. HHV-6 DNA was detected by PCR in new tumour tissue. This is the

first reported case of HHV-6 encephalitis associated with carditis,

infantile

spasms, and a subsequent brain tumour containing the HHV-6 genome.

PMID: 10875530, UI: 20331785