Acute Necrotizing Encephalopathy due to Streptococcus pneumoniae: An Uncommon Pathogen in a Devastating Disease

Abstract

Acute necrotizing encephalopathy (ANE) is an uncommon disease that typically affects infants and children of East Asian descent, typically before age five years. ANE is characterized by acute encephalopathy and coma in association with a febrile illness, hepatic dysfunction, seizures, focal neurological deficits, and characteristic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings.1-3 Viral infections such as influenza are common triggers.4 We describe a patient with ANE secondary to Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteremia, an unusual precipitant.