Viral Infections Of Nervous System Research Articles

Early inhibition of acetylcholinesterase and choline acetyltransferase activity in herpes simplex virus type 1 infection of PC12 cells.

Early in the course of productive Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection of PC12 cells, activities of both acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and choline acetyltransferase (CAT) fell. Studies using metabolic inhibitors and a temperature-sensitive mutant of the virus suggested that the decline in activities of both enzymes was associated with events occurring early in the replicative cycle related to expression of the immediate-early (alpha) group of viral polypeptides. HSV-1 gene products thus may alter specialized cell functions well before the production of viral progeny and initiation of cell lysis. The early clinical manifestations of nervous system viral infection may reflect focal metabolic disturbance rather than, or in addition to, simple cell death.

Coxsackie A9 focal encephalitis associated with acute infantile hemiplegia and porencephaly

The factors underlying acute infantile hemiplegia are seldom identified. Coxsackie A9 focal encephalitis was documented for the first time in a 3-month-old infant with fever, hemiconvulsions, and hemiplegia followed by a static motor deficit and epilepsy. It has been suggested that the acute infantile hemiplegia associated with encephalitis results from an arteritis or venous sinus thrombosis with subsequent cerebral infarction. However, this was not observed in our patient. Rather, a series of brain scans, computerized tomograms, and a cerebral angiogram clearly documented the evolution of a focal necrotizing encephaloclastic process resulting in a porencephalic cyst. Serial cerebrospinal fluid viral cultures were necessary to isolate the etiologic agent (tcoxsackie A9). The infant did not have a neutralizing antibody response to the infecting viral agent despite an apparently intact immune system, which possibly may be explained by the developed of immune tolerance or an insufficient amount of infecting viral antigen. This emphasizes that serologic studies alone may not be adequate to document an acute central nervous system viral infection. This patient also typifies the poor prognosis in infants presenting with acute hemiplegia, fever, and convulsions in the absence of cerebrovascular occlusion.

HERPES SIMPLEX ENCEPHALITIS

HERPES SIMPLEX ENCEPHALITIS A RADIOLOGIC-PATHOLOGIC STUDY OF 4 CASESWILLIAM B. RADCLIFFE, M.D., FAUSTINO C. GUINTO, JR., M.D., DAVID F. ADCOCK, M.D. and MARTIN R. KRIGMAN, M.D.Audio Available | Share

VIRAL INFECTION IN PREGNANCY AND CONGENITAL CNS MALFORMATIONS IN MAN

ELIZAN, T. S.; AJERO-FROEHLICH, L.; FABIYI, A.; LEY, A.; SEVER, J. L. Author Information

Viral Infection in Pregnancy and Congenital CNS Malformations in Man

THE association between congenital central nervous system (CNS) developmental anomalies and viral infection occurring in pregnancy has been definitely shown in man with rubella virus1-4and cytomegalovirus.5-9Microcephaly, hydrocephaly, anencephaly, encephalomyelocele, meningomyelocele, and Dandy-Walker syndrome with obstructive hydrocephalus, have all been described in congenital rubella. The CNS involvement may also be in the form of an encephalomyelitis, and mental retardation is common. Like rubella, human cytomegalovirus can induce significant CNS pathology. This may take the form of a meningoencephalitis, microcephaly, hydrocephaly, microgyria, porencephaly, or periventricular calcifications. Mental retardation, seizures, and other signs of focal cerebral dysfunction are neurological features of survivors of congenital cytomegalic inclusion disease. Other viruses such as mumps,10,11herpes simplex,12-15rubeola16and influenza17,18have been linked with human congenital abnormalities, not specifically of the central nervous system. Evidence of causal relation, however, between these viruses and the congenital abnormalities is tenuous.