1.Cytomegalovirus Encephalitis and Cerebral Toxoplasmosis in an Immunocompetent Patient: A Rare Case Report
Ni Putu Merlynda Pusvita Dewi ; Adiba Hasna Hanifah
Acta Medica Indonesiana 2026;58(1):77-81
Abstract
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Toxoplasma gondii infections are typically associated with immunocompromised individuals, in whom they can cause severe central nervous system (CNS) complications. However, their concurrent manifestation in immunocompetent hosts (IMCh) is exceptionally rare and underreported. We present the case of a 51-year-old immunocompetent male with a three-month history of progressive headache, nausea, and intermittent joint pain, without neurological deficits. Imaging revealed chronic infarcts in the basal ganglia and frontal lobe, as well as multifocal lesions in the periventricular area. Serological testing indicated high-avidity IgG for both CMV and T. gondii, consistent with chronic latent infections. Despite being HIV-negative and without prior immunosuppressive therapy, the patient exhibited hematologic abnormalities, including thrombocytopenia, lymphopenia, and eosinophilia. Treatment with valganciclovir, cotrimoxazole, and clindamycin led to symptomatic improvement. This case underscores the diagnostic challenges of CMV encephalitis and cerebral toxoplasmosis in IMCh, where nonspecific symptoms and overlapping radiological findings may mimic other etiologies such as stroke. Given the neurotropic nature of T. gondii and the hematologic impact of CMV, coinfection—though rare—should be considered in patients with atypical CNS symptoms and hematological abnormalities, even in the absence of immunodeficiency. This report showed the need for heightened clinical suspicion and thorough evaluation to avoid misdiagnosis and ensure timely intervention. Clinicians should recognize that serious manifestations of CMV and toxoplasmosis are possible in IMCh and may present subtly, necessitating comprehensive serologic and imaging workups for accurate diagnosis and management.
CMV
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encephalitis
;
cerebral toxoplasmosis
;
immunocompetent host
2.Current Situation and Global Perspective of Nipah Virus
Acta Medica Indonesiana 2026;58(1):107-111
Abstract
The Nipah virus (NiV) is a highly pathogenic zoonotic virus associated with recurrent outbreaks in South and Southeast Asia. Since its first identification in 1998 among the pig farmers in Sungai Nipah Village in Malaysia, NiV has demonstrated high case fatality rates (40–75%) and significant epidemic potential. At that time, the virus spread to Singapore, and human cases were also identified in India, Bangladesh, and Philippine afterwards. No human cases have been reported in Indonesia; the country remains on high alert due to geographic concerns and the intensity of mobilization of people. To review the current global epidemiological situation of Nipah virus (as of 2026), evaluate public health preparedness, and analyze ongoing research efforts, including vaccine and therapeutic development.Nipah virus outbreaks remain geographically concentrated in Bangladesh and India, with seasonal spillover events linked primarily to bat-to-human transmission through contaminated food products. Human-to-human transmission occurs but remains limited. Improved surveillance, rapid case isolation, and contact tracing have reduced outbreak sizes in recent years. Vaccine candidates are currently in Phase II clinical trials.While the global pandemic risk remains low at present, the Nipah virus continues to represent a high-consequence emerging pathogen. Sustained surveillance, vaccine development, ecological research, and strengthened health systems are critical to mitigating future risks.
Nipah virus
;
zoonotic diseases
;
emerging infections
;
encephalitis
;
outbreak preparedness
3.Value of monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in evaluating the severity and prognosis of pediatric viral encephalitis.
Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics 2025;27(8):968-973
OBJECTIVES:
To investigate the value of peripheral blood monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in evaluating the severity and prognosis of pediatric viral encephalitis (VE).
METHODS:
A retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 268 children with VE who were admitted to the Department of Pediatrics, Zhucheng People's Hospital, from February 2020 to September 2024. According to the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, the children were divided into critical group (109 children; GCS score ≤8) and non-critical group (159 children; GCS score >8). According to the results of Glasgow Outcome Scale after follow-up for six months, the children were divided into poor prognosis group (84 children; grade 1-3) and good prognosis group (184 children; grade 4-5). The influencing factors for disease severity and prognosis were analyzed, and the value of peripheral blood MLR and NLR in predicting disease severity and prognosis was assessed.
RESULTS:
The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that high neutrophil (NEU) count, high MLR, high NLR, and low lymphocyte (LYM) count were closely associated with the critical condition and poor prognosis in children with VE (P<0.05). The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that MLR and NLR had an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.772 and 0.883, respectively, for predicting critical illness in children with VE (P<0.05), as well as an AUC of 0.715 and 0.930, respectively, for predicting poor prognosis (P<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
Peripheral blood MLR and NLR are associated with critical condition and poor prognosis and can be used as biomarkers for assessing the disease severity and prognosis in children with VE on admission.
Humans
;
Prognosis
;
Male
;
Female
;
Child, Preschool
;
Child
;
Retrospective Studies
;
Neutrophils
;
Lymphocytes
;
Infant
;
Encephalitis, Viral/diagnosis*
;
Monocytes
;
Adolescent
;
Logistic Models
;
ROC Curve
4.Listeria Brainstem Encephalitis With Myelitis Misdiagnosed as Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis:Report of One Case.
Dan-Ying WU ; Qin-Xue WANG ; Dong-Mei ZHU ; Yu-Jing GAN ; Min HUANG ; Su-Ming ZHOU
Acta Academiae Medicinae Sinicae 2025;47(4):673-678
Listeria brainstem encephalitis with myelitis is extremely rare in clinical practice.Since the clinical manifestations are non-specific,MRI is helpful for diagnosis.Positive cerebrospinal fluid culture is considered the gold standard for diagnosis.This article reports a case of an immunocompetent individual with listeria brainstem encephalitis with myelitis,aiming to enhance the awareness of this condition.
Humans
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Brain Stem/pathology*
;
Diagnostic Errors
;
Encephalitis/complications*
;
Encephalomyelitis, Acute Disseminated/diagnosis*
;
Listeriosis/complications*
;
Myelitis/complications*
5.Anti–N-Methyl-D-Aspartate receptor encephalitis: Seizures and psychosis – A case report
Ma. Cassandra C. Alfonso ; Ken Manongas ; Criselda Tagayuna
Philippine Journal of Internal Medicine 2025;63(4):1-4
Anti–N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor encephalitis is a neurologic disease first identified by Dr Josep Dalmau and colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania in 2007. The first confirmed case of anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis reported in the Philippines was published in the Philippine Journal of Neurology last August 2012; it was entitled “A rare disease with a unique feature: Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis and mesenteric teratoma”. Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis is an autoimmune disease where the body creates antibodies against the NMDA receptors in the brain, in which antibodies disrupt normal brain signaling, causing brain swelling, or encephalitis; many reports claim that it is often misdiagnosed due to atypical presentation that overlaps neurologic and psychiatric symptoms, in which it is difficult to recognize, and that may delay management.
Anti-N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor Encephalitis
;
N-Methylaspartate
;
D-Aspartic Acid
;
Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate
6.Preparation of mouse monoclonal antibodies against the ectodomain of Western equine encephalitis virus E2 (E2ecto) protein.
Fuxing WU ; Yangchao DONG ; Jian ZHANG ; Pan XUE ; Ruodong YUAN ; Yang CHEN ; Hang YUAN ; Baoli LI ; Yingfeng LEI
Chinese Journal of Cellular and Molecular Immunology 2024;40(1):62-68
Objective To prepare mouse monoclonal antibodies against the ectodomain of E2 (E2ecto) glycoprotein of Western equine encephalitis virus (WEEV). Methods A prokaryotic expression plasmid pET-28a-WEEV E2ecto was constructed and transformed into BL21 (DE3) competent cells. E2ecto protein was expressed by IPTG induction and presented mainly as inclusion bodies. Then the purified E2ecto protein was prepared by denaturation, renaturation and ultrafiltration. BALB/c mice were immunized with the formulated E2ecto protein using QuickAntibody-Mouse5W as an adjuvant via intramuscular route, boosted once at an interval of 21 days. At 35 days post-immunization, mice with antibody titer above 1×104 were inoculated with E2ecto intraperitoneally, and spleen cells were fused with SP2/0 cells three days later. Hybridoma cells secreting specific monoclonal antibodies were screened by the limited dilution method, and ascites were prepared after intraperitoneal inoculation of hybridoma cells. The subtypes and titers of the antibodies in ascites were assayed by ELISA. The biological activity of the mAb was identified by immunofluorescence assay(IFA) on BHK-21 cells which were transfected with eukaryotic expression plasmid pCAGGS-WEEV-CE3E2E1. The specificity of the antibodies were evaluated with E2ecto proteins from EEEV and VEEV. Results Purified WEEV E2ecto protein was successfully expressed and obtained. Four monoclonal antibodies, 3G6G10, 3D7G2, 3B9E8 and 3D5B7, were prepared, and their subtypes were IgG2c(κ), IgM(κ), IgM(κ) and IgG1(κ), respectively. The titers of ascites antibodies 3G6G10, 3B9E8 and 3D7G2 were 105, and 3D5B7 reached 107. None of the four antibody strains cross-reacted with other encephalitis alphavirus such as VEEV and EEEV. Conclusion Four strains of mouse mAb specifically binding WEEV E2ecto are successfully prepared.
Horses
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Animals
;
Mice
;
Encephalitis Virus, Western Equine
;
Ascites
;
Immunosuppressive Agents
;
Antibodies, Monoclonal
;
Immunoglobulin M
9.Analysis of clinical characteristics and risk factors in patients with neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE).
Jie LIU ; Shuyuan JIA ; Pengyu WANG ; Tingting LYU ; Yinxiu HU ; Yan ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Cellular and Molecular Immunology 2023;39(10):924-927
Objective To analyze clinical characteristics of patients with neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) and to explore the risk factors affecting the occurrence of NPSLE. Methods A total of 63 NPSLE patients and 61 non-NPSLE patients were enrolled. The clinical manifestations and laboratory examination data of the two groups were collected, and the disease characteristics of NPSLE were summarized to analyze the risk factors affecting the occurrence of NPSLE by multivariate Logistic regression. Results The most common clinical manifestations of NPSLE patients were headache (39.7%), affective disorder (33.3%) and cognitive impairment (30.2%), with cranial magnetic resonance abnormalities (63.5%) and a high cerebrospinal fluid protein positive rate (52.4%). Compared with non-NPSLE patients, there were significantly increased levels of Raynaud's phenomenon, renal involvement, anti-RNP antibody, anti-ribosomal P protein, hypocomplementemia, lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in NPSLE patients. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that renal involvement, Raynaud's phenomenon, positive anti-ribosomal P protein antibody, and elevated LMR and NLR were independent risk factors for NPSLE. Conclusion Headache is the most common symptom in patients with NPSLE, and abnormal cranial MRI and cerebrospinal fluid examination are more common. SLE patients who present with renal involvement, Raynaud's phenomenon, positive anti-ribosomal P protein antibodies, and elevated levels of LMR and NLR are more susceptible to developing NPSLE.
Humans
;
Lupus Vasculitis, Central Nervous System
;
Risk Factors
;
Headache
;
Antibodies, Antinuclear
;
Cognitive Dysfunction


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