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PloS One 2024Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is usually diagnosed based on the presence of TBE virus (TBEV)-specific IgM and IgG antibodies in serum. However, antibodies induced by...
Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is usually diagnosed based on the presence of TBE virus (TBEV)-specific IgM and IgG antibodies in serum. However, antibodies induced by vaccination or cross-reactivity to previous flavivirus infections may result in false positive TBEV serology. Detection of TBEV RNA may be an alternative diagnostic approach to detect viral presence and circumvent the diagnostic difficulties present when using serology. Viral RNA in blood is commonly detectable only in the first viremic phase usually lasting up to two weeks, and not in the second neurologic phase, when the patients contact the health care system and undergo diagnostic work-up. TBEV RNA has previously been detected in urine in a few retrospective TBE cases in the neurologic phase, and furthermore RNA of other flaviviruses has been detected in patient saliva. In this study, blood, saliva and urine were collected from 31 hospitalised immunocompetent patients with pleocytosis and symptoms of aseptic meningitis and/or encephalitis, suspected to have TBE. We wanted to pursue if molecular testing of TBEV RNA in these patient materials may be useful in the diagnostics. Eleven of the 31 study patients were diagnosed with TBE based on ELISA detection of TBEV specific IgG and IgM antibodies. None of the study patients had TBEV RNA detectable in any of the collected patient material.
Topics: Humans; Encephalitis, Tick-Borne; Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne; Saliva; RNA, Viral; Male; Female; Middle Aged; Adult; Aged; Immunoglobulin M; Immunoglobulin G; Antibodies, Viral; Aged, 80 and over; Immunocompetence; Hospitalization
PubMed: 38913668
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305603 -
Cureus May 2024Mixed connective tissue disorder (MCTD) is the first overlap syndrome described with features of overlapping manifestations of at least two other autoimmune rheumatic...
Mixed connective tissue disorder (MCTD) is the first overlap syndrome described with features of overlapping manifestations of at least two other autoimmune rheumatic conditions. It is an autoimmune disease of rarity and is strongly associated with specific antibodies to U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (anti-U1-RNP). This disorder affects almost all organs of the body, and it has varied clinical presentations as it has an autoimmune and inflammatory background, causing heightened immune cell activation. They present more commonly with less fatal symptoms like joint pain, stiffness, and mucocutaneous changes. The majority present initially with Raynaud's phenomenon followed by muscular skeletal involvement and around half of them present with swallowing problems due to esophageal dysmotility. Rarely do they also present with more morbid symptoms of pulmonary hypertension and central nervous system involvement. MCTD on follow-up had a 10 percent association with neurological manifestations as reported by the National Organization for Rare Diseases (NORD), and the most reported diseases were trigeminal neuralgia and aseptic meningitis. Patients presenting with such symptoms and, when treated only with guideline-based antibiotics therapy, would delay the treatment, leading to a poorer prognosis. The following is an interesting case of a young female presenting with a headache, which was masquerading as an underlying undiagnosed connective tissue disorder. Headache is a predominant presentation that has several etiologies in autoimmune disease and meticulous differential diagnosis workup is a must. This case highlights the fact that any persistent atypical, unusual symptom needs to be always considered for further evaluation to arrive at a diagnosis and for a favorable outcome.
PubMed: 38903288
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.60762 -
Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine Jun 2024Traditionally, 6-month courses of prednisolone are used to treat steroid-responsive meningitis-arteritis (SRMA), but this medication is associated with adverse effects...
BACKGROUND
Traditionally, 6-month courses of prednisolone are used to treat steroid-responsive meningitis-arteritis (SRMA), but this medication is associated with adverse effects that can lead to poor quality of life.
HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES
Resolution of clinical signs and rate of relapse of SRMA would not be significantly different between a 6-month prednisolone protocol and a 6-week protocol.
ANIMALS
Forty-four hospital cases from multiple referral centers in the United Kingdom (2015-2019). Twenty of 44 were treated with the 6-month protocol and 24/44 with the 6-week protocol.
METHODS
Prospective, randomized trial with 12-month follow-up. The same prednisolone protocol reinitiated in the event of relapse. Analysis of relapses with binary logistic and Poisson regression modeling.
RESULTS
All cases responded to their treatment protocol. Relapses occurred in 6/20 (30%) of the 6-month protocol and 9/24 (38%) of the 6-week protocol. There was no statistical difference in the incidence risk of at least 1 relapse between the 2 groups (odds ratio = 1.40; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.40-4.96, P = 0.60). Among the 15 dogs that relapsed, 10/15 (67%) relapsed once, 3/15 (20%) relapsed twice, and 2/15 (13%) relapsed 3 times. No statistical difference was detected in the incidence rate ratio (IRR) of total relapse events between the 2 groups (IRR = 1.46; 95% CI, 0.61-3.48; P = 0.40).
CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE
"Short" 6-week prednisolone protocols could be used to treat SRMA, thereby presumably reducing the duration and severity of prednisolone's adverse effects.
PubMed: 38895927
DOI: 10.1111/jvim.17130 -
Pediatric Rheumatology Online Journal Jun 2024To characterize the clinical features and to identify the predictors of recurrence of histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis (HNL) in Chinese children.
OBJECTIVES
To characterize the clinical features and to identify the predictors of recurrence of histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis (HNL) in Chinese children.
STUDY DESIGN
This study retrospectively analyzed the clinical characteristics, laboratory and pathological findings, and recurrence status of children diagnosed with HNL at a single center in China from January 2018 to May 2023. Logistic regression analysis was employed to identify predictors of HNL recurrence.
RESULTS
181 Chinese children with histopathologically confirmed HNL were enrolled (121 males and 60 females). The mean age was 9.3 ± 2.9 years. The most prominent clinical features were fever (98.9%) and cervical lymphadenopathy (98.3%). Aseptic meningitis was the most frequent complication (38.5%), while hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis and autoimmune disease were rare (1.7% and 1.2%, respectively). Recurrence occurred in 12.7% of patients. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (> 30 mm/h) was the significant predictors of HNL recurrence, with odds ratios of 6.107, respectively.
CONCLUSION
Our study demonstrates that fever and cervical lymphadenopathy are the most frequent clinical manifestations of HNL in Chinese children, which often coexist with aseptic meningitis. HNL patients with risk factors require follow-up for recurrence.
Topics: Humans; Histiocytic Necrotizing Lymphadenitis; Male; Female; Child; Retrospective Studies; Recurrence; China; Lymphadenopathy; Fever; Risk Factors; Child, Preschool; Adolescent; Meningitis, Aseptic; East Asian People
PubMed: 38862943
DOI: 10.1186/s12969-024-00996-y -
Journal of Medical Case Reports Jun 2024Kikuchi Fujimoto disease is a rare self-limiting disorder mainly affecting young Asian females. The typical presentation is unexplained fever with associated cervical...
BACKGROUND
Kikuchi Fujimoto disease is a rare self-limiting disorder mainly affecting young Asian females. The typical presentation is unexplained fever with associated cervical lymphadenopathy. It can mimic many sinister diseases such as lymphoma, tuberculosis, and systemic lupus erythematosus. Aseptic meningitis due to Kikuchi disease is extremely rare, and majority were reported from Japan. There have been no published cases of aseptic meningitis due to Kikuchi disease in Sri Lanka.
CASE PRESENTATION
A 29 years old Sri Lankan female presented with a prolonged fever for three weeks with an associated headache for five days duration. She developed painful cervical lymphadenopathy during the hospital stay. She has been previously well and had been vaccinated against COVID-19 six weeks before. Her lumbar puncture showed lymphocytic pleocytosis with marginally elevated protein levels and reduced ratio of serum to CSF sugar. Lymph node biopsy was consistent with necrotizing lymphadenitis. She was subsequently diagnosed with Kikuchi disease complicated with aseptic meningitis. She responded to corticosteroids well and had an uneventful recovery.
CONCLUSION
Kikuchi disease is a rare self-limiting disorder that can be complicated with aseptic meningitis on infrequent occasions. Other conditions such as tuberculosis, lymphoma, systemic lupus erythematosus, and adult-onset Still's disease should be considered as differential diagnoses. Knowledge of Kikuchi disease and its complications will prevent unnecessary investigations which delay the early diagnosis and treatment.
Topics: Humans; Histiocytic Necrotizing Lymphadenitis; Female; Meningitis, Aseptic; Adult; COVID-19; COVID-19 Vaccines; Sri Lanka; SARS-CoV-2
PubMed: 38840233
DOI: 10.1186/s13256-024-04541-z -
Cureus Apr 2024Meningitis is the inflammation of meninges either septic or aseptic depending on the source of infection. Typical signs and symptoms of meningitis in children...
Meningitis is the inflammation of meninges either septic or aseptic depending on the source of infection. Typical signs and symptoms of meningitis in children include fever, headache, neck stiffness, nuchal rigidity represented by positive Kernig and Brudzinski signs, photophobia, nausea, vomiting, confusion, lethargy, and irritability. Bacterial meningitis is commonly caused by in children over the age of three months. Although there has been a decline in infections due to the introduction of the pneumococcal conjugate and pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccines, there are still reported cases of invasive pneumococcal infections mostly with non-vaccine serotypes. We report a fully immunized six-year-old male patient with a presentation of classic meningitis signs and symptoms who developed rapid progression of disease including sudden and dramatic change in physical exam and subsequent respiratory depression within 12 hours of admission. Our patient had a history of extensive traumatic facial bone fractures six months prior. Our case demonstrates a unique presentation of rapidly progressing pneumococcal meningitis due to a suspected complication of septic thrombophlebitis and subsequent brain herniation in a fully immunized patient six months after a severe traumatic facial injury.
PubMed: 38807822
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.59204 -
Rinsho Shinkeigaku = Clinical Neurology Jun 2024A 54-year-old man with a university degree was admitted to our hospital because of a two-year history of progressive dementia. He had familial sensorineural hearing loss...
A 54-year-old man with a university degree was admitted to our hospital because of a two-year history of progressive dementia. He had familial sensorineural hearing loss and had been treated for epilepsy since his 30s. On admission, he showed severe dementia and parkinsonism without fever or skin rash. Systemic inflammation was evident, and the CSF cell count and IL-6 level were elevated to 53/μl and 307 pg/ml, respectively. Brain MRI demonstrated diffuse brain atrophy. More detailed anamnesis revealed a history of rheumatoid arthritis in childhood and aseptic meningitis in his 20s. Genetic examination for autoinflammatory diseases demonstrated compound heterozygotic mutations in the NLRP3 gene, causing cryopyrin-associated periodic fever syndrome (CAPS). This case was atypical CAPS presenting as early-onset progressive dementia, without recurrent fever or urticaria-like eruption which are usually seen in this disease.
Topics: Humans; Cryopyrin-Associated Periodic Syndromes; Male; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein; Middle Aged; Mutation; Dementia; Exanthema; Fever; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Brain; Diagnosis, Differential; Heterozygote; Biomarkers; Disease Progression
PubMed: 38797686
DOI: 10.5692/clinicalneurol.cn-001956 -
Cureus Apr 2024An 85-year-old man was diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and was initially treated with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and sorafenib. He was then...
An 85-year-old man was diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and was initially treated with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and sorafenib. He was then switched to nivolumab and ipilimumab in view of sorafenib intolerance and disease progression. Subsequently, he developed dysphagia and generalized dyspnea culminating in hypercapnic respiratory failure requiring intubation. After an extensive workup, the etiology of his fluctuating respiratory issues was narrowed down to a likely neuromuscular process. Although antibodies to acetylcholine receptors (anti-AChR Ab) were negative, he was treated with high-dose steroids due to clinical concern for Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor (ICI) neurotoxicity. His recovery post immune suppression and absence of recurrence after ICI cessation suggested the possibility of this being an ICI neurotoxicity manifesting with myasthenic symptoms. Incidentally, he also had evidence of aseptic meningitis on cerebrospinal fluid analysis further strengthening this diagnosis. This case illustrates the importance of early recognition of ICI toxicity which will in turn lead to initiating treatments sooner and also decreasing the length of illness.
PubMed: 38770481
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.58651 -
Journal Francais D'ophtalmologie May 2024
PubMed: 38761650
DOI: 10.1016/j.jfo.2024.104194 -
Infectious Diseases (London, England) May 2024Enteroviruses (EV) comprises many different types and are the most common cause of aseptic meningitis. How the virus affects the brain including potential differences...
PURPOSE
Enteroviruses (EV) comprises many different types and are the most common cause of aseptic meningitis. How the virus affects the brain including potential differences between types are largely unknown. Measuring biomarkers in CSF is a tool to estimate brain damage caused by CNS infections.
METHODS
A retrospective study was performed in samples from 38 patients with acute neurological manifestations and positive CSF-EV RNA ( = 37) or serum-IgM ( = 1). The EV in 17 samples were typed by sequencing. The biomarkers neurofilament light (NFL), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), S-100B protein, amyloid-β (Aβ) 40 and Aβ42, total-tau (T-tau) and phosphorylated tau (P-tau) were measured and compared with data derived from a control group ( = 19).
RESULTS
There were no increased levels of GFAP ( ≤ 0.1) nor NFL ( ≤ 0.1) in the CSF of patients with EV meningitis ( = 38) compared with controls. However, we found decreased levels of Aβ42 ( < 0.001), Aβ40 ( < 0.001), T-tau ( ≥ 0.01), P-tau ( ≤ 0.001) and S-100B ( ≤ 0.001). E30 ( = 9) and CVB5 ( = 6) were the most frequent EV-types identified, but no differences in biomarker levels or other clinical parameters were found between the infecting virus type. Seven patients who were followed for longer than one month reported remaining cognitive impairment, although no correlations with biomarker concentrations were observed.
CONCLUSION
There are no indication of neuronal or astrocyte damage in patients with EV meningitis. Yet, decreased concentrations of Aβ40, Aβ42, P-tau and T-tau were shown, a finding of unknown importance. Cognitive impairment after acute disease occurs, but with only a limited number of patients analysed, no conclusion can be drawn concerning any association with biomarker levels or EV types.
PubMed: 38756101
DOI: 10.1080/23744235.2024.2345712