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Neuropediatrics 2014; 45(01): 061-063
DOI: 10.1055/s-0033-1348150
Short Communication
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Mycoplasma pneumoniae Intrathecal Antibody Responses in Bickerstaff Brain Stem Encephalitis

Patrick M. Meyer Sauteur
1   Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Children's Hospital of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
6   Children's Research Center (CRC), University Children's Hospital of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
,
Christa Relly
1   Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Children's Hospital of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
6   Children's Research Center (CRC), University Children's Hospital of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
,
Annette Hackenberg
2   Division of Neurology, University Children's Hospital of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
6   Children's Research Center (CRC), University Children's Hospital of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
,
Nikolai Stahr
3   Division of Radiology, University Children's Hospital of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
6   Children's Research Center (CRC), University Children's Hospital of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
,
Christoph Berger
1   Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Children's Hospital of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
6   Children's Research Center (CRC), University Children's Hospital of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
,
Guido V. Bloemberg
4   Institute of Medical Microbiology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
,
Enno Jacobs
5   Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Dresden University of Technology, Dresden, Germany
,
David Nadal
1   Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Children's Hospital of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
6   Children's Research Center (CRC), University Children's Hospital of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

16 February 2013

20 April 2013

Publication Date:
21 June 2013 (online)

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Abstract

The pathogenesis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae encephalitis is not established. We report, for the first time, the case of a patient with severe Bickerstaff brain stem encephalitis in whom we detected intrathecal production of M. pneumoniae–specific antibodies, contrasting the findings in another patient with less severe encephalitis in whom we detected intrathecal M. pneumoniae DNA but no specific antibodies. Our observations suggest that intrathecal M. pneumoniae–specific antibody responses may contribute to a more severe course of M. pneumoniae encephalitis.

Keywords

Mycoplasma pneumoniae - encephalitis - Bickerstaff brain stem encephalitis - cerebrospinal fluid - intrathecal antibody synthesis
 

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