In vivo detection of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA in the brain in a case of encephalitis: evidence for HCV neuroinvasion

European Journal of Neurology : the Official Journal of the European Federation of Neurological Societies
F SeifertJ Bardutzky

Abstract

We report here a 27-year-old woman who presented with encephalitis of unknown origin. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain revealed leukoencephalopathy, cerebrospinal fluid showed signs of inflammation. Serum and brain biopsy tissue was tested positive for hepatitis C virus (HCV). Neuropathological investigation supported the hypothesis of viral encephalitis. C3, C4 and cryoglobulins as well as cerebral MR-angiography were normal. Neurological complications of HCV infection other than hepatic encephalopathy are generally attributed to parainfectious phenomena. This is the first case of HCV-RNA detection in vivo in human brain in literature and it raises the possibility that HCV is able to induce encephalitis caused by neurotrophism. This is supported by the fact that there is a growing body of literature on HCV-induced cerebral dysfunction and laboratory findings indicating HCV neuroinvasion.

References

May 12, 1998·Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry·I L SimoneP Livrea
Aug 4, 1999·Journal of Neurology·J G HeckmannB Neundörfer
Nov 26, 1999·Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology·H FujitaT Tanaka
May 19, 2001·Clinical Medicine : Journal of the Royal College of Physicians of London·S D Taylor-Robinson
Jul 17, 2001·Lancet·D M FortonS D Taylor-Robinson
Oct 27, 2001·Archives of Neurology·S SacconiE Merelli
Feb 5, 2002·Hepatology : Official Journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases·Daniel M FortonSimon D Taylor-Robinson
Feb 5, 2002·Hepatology : Official Journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases·Robin C HilsabeckTarek I Hassanein
Sep 5, 2002·Journal of Virology·Tomasz LaskusJorge Rakela
Mar 5, 2003·Journal of Viral Hepatitis·D M FortonH C Thomas
Jun 14, 2003·The Neurologist·Sami L Khella, Nizar Souayah
Nov 24, 2004·Metabolic Brain Disease·Daniel M FortonSimon D Taylor-Robinson
Feb 26, 2005·Seminars in Liver Disease·Susan Morgello
Mar 29, 2005·Hepatology : Official Journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases·Mary Pat McAndrewsE Jenny Heathcote
Oct 28, 2005·AIDS·Tomasz LaskusJorge Rakela
Mar 16, 2006·European Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology·Daniel M FortonHoward C Thomas
Nov 6, 2007·Nature Clinical Practice. Gastroenterology & Hepatology·John A MengsholHugo R Rosen

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Sep 20, 2012·Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports·Micheline McCarthy, Melissa R Ortega
Aug 18, 2012·Clinical & Developmental Immunology·Salvatore MonacoSara Mariotto
Mar 20, 2014·Journal of Immunological Methods·Markus von SchaewenAlexander Ploss
Oct 16, 2015·Journal of Viral Hepatitis·A R RajalakshmyH N Madhavan
Apr 13, 2010·Enfermedades infecciosas y microbiología clínica·Miriam Estébanez-MuñozJosé Ramón Arribas
Oct 27, 2011·Journal of Hepatology·Valerie ByrnesNezam H Afdhal
May 3, 2016·World Journal of Hepatology·Shilu MathewIshtiaq Qadri
Oct 20, 2018·Expert Review of Clinical Immunology·Ciro RomanoLuigi Elio Adinolfi
Nov 2, 2013·World Journal of Hepatology·Rosa ZampinoLuigi E Adinolfi
Oct 2, 2020·Der Nervenarzt·Felix KleefeldUNKNOWN Deutsche Gesellschaft für Neuro-AIDS und Neuro-Infektiologie (DGNANI)
Dec 11, 2008·Metabolic Brain Disease·Aye Mu MyintBrian E Leonard
Mar 6, 2015·World Journal of Gastroenterology : WJG·Luigi Elio AdinolfiAldo Marrone
Mar 13, 2014·Metabolic Brain Disease·David A SheridanM F Bassendine
Aug 28, 2021·World Journal of Gastroenterology : WJG·Jessica FaccioliLorenzo Ridola
Oct 12, 2021·European Journal of Neurology : the Official Journal of the European Federation of Neurological Societies·Luis Ibáñez-SamaniegoRita Garcia-Martinez

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

CSF & Lymphatic System

This feed focuses on Cerebral Spinal Fluid (CSF) and the lymphatic system. Discover the latest papers using imaging techniques to track CSF outflow into the lymphatic system in animal models.