Acute necrotizing encephalopathy in a child caused by human herpesvirus-6 infection

VernacularTitle:人类疱疹病毒6型感染所致儿童急性坏死性脑病一例
Author: Zhihui TANG ; Daoqi MEI ; Yuan WANG ; Guohong CHEN ; Yanli MA ; Xiaoyi CHEN ; Shiyue MEI ; Yaodong ZHANG ; Xiaona WANG ; Shijie DONG
From: Chinese Journal of Neurology 2021;54(1):34-39
CountryChina
Language:Chinese
Abstract: Objective:To analyze the clinical and imaging characteristics of acute necrotic encephalopathy (ANE) in a child with human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) infection.Methods:Retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data and imaging features of a case of HHV-6 related ANE from Children′s Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University in March 2019.Results:The one year and seven month-old child had acute encephalopathy, recurrent convulsions, consciousness disorders, elevated serum transaminase. The number of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cells was normal and the protein increased. High throughput gene testing of CSF showed HHV-6. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging showed multiple symmetry damage in the bilateral thalamus, brainstem, and cerebellum. The symptoms improved after the treatment of glucocorticoids, intravenous immunoglobulin, and plasmapheresis.Conclusions:ANE is a rare severe encephalopathy, the characteristic imaging change of which is symmetry multifocal cerebral damage, especially in the bilateral thalamus. ANE should be considered for patients with frequent convulsions and disturbance of consciousness after virus infection.