TY - JOUR
T1 - Congenital lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infection
T2 - Spectrum of disease
AU - Bonthius, Daniel J.
AU - Wright, Rhonda
AU - Tseng, Brian
AU - Barton, Leslie
AU - Marco, Elysa
AU - Karacay, Bahri
AU - Larsen, Paul D.
PY - 2007/10
Y1 - 2007/10
N2 - Objective: Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) is a human pathogen and an emerging neuroteratogen. When the infection occurs during pregnancy, the virus can target and damage the fetal brain and retina. We examined the spectrum of clinical presentations, neuroimaging findings, and clinical outcomes of children with congenital LCMV infection. Methods: Twenty children with serologically confirmed congenital LCMV infection were identified. The children underwent neuroimaging studies and were followed prospectively for up to 11 years. Results: All children with congenital LCMV infection had chorioretinitis and structural brain anomalies. However, the presenting clinical signs, severity of vision disturbance, nature and location of neuropathology, and character and severity of brain dysfunction varied substantially among cases. Neuroimaging abnormalities included microencephaly, periventricular calcifications, ventriculomegaly, pachygyria, cerebellar hypoplasia, porencephalic cysts, periventricular cysts, and hydrocephalus. The combination of microencephaly and periventricular calcifications was the most common neuroimaging abnormality, and all children with this combination had profound mental retardation, epilepsy, and cerebral palsy. However, others had less severe neuroimaging abnormalities and better outcomes. Some children had isolated cerebellar hypoplasia, with jitteriness as their presenting sign and ataxia as their principal long-term neurological dysfunction. Interpretation: Congenital LCMV infection can have diverse presenting signs, neuroimaging abnormalities, and clinical outcomes. In the companion article to this study, we utilize an animal model to show that the clinical and pathological diversity in congenital LCMV infection is likely due to differences in the gestational timing of infection.
AB - Objective: Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) is a human pathogen and an emerging neuroteratogen. When the infection occurs during pregnancy, the virus can target and damage the fetal brain and retina. We examined the spectrum of clinical presentations, neuroimaging findings, and clinical outcomes of children with congenital LCMV infection. Methods: Twenty children with serologically confirmed congenital LCMV infection were identified. The children underwent neuroimaging studies and were followed prospectively for up to 11 years. Results: All children with congenital LCMV infection had chorioretinitis and structural brain anomalies. However, the presenting clinical signs, severity of vision disturbance, nature and location of neuropathology, and character and severity of brain dysfunction varied substantially among cases. Neuroimaging abnormalities included microencephaly, periventricular calcifications, ventriculomegaly, pachygyria, cerebellar hypoplasia, porencephalic cysts, periventricular cysts, and hydrocephalus. The combination of microencephaly and periventricular calcifications was the most common neuroimaging abnormality, and all children with this combination had profound mental retardation, epilepsy, and cerebral palsy. However, others had less severe neuroimaging abnormalities and better outcomes. Some children had isolated cerebellar hypoplasia, with jitteriness as their presenting sign and ataxia as their principal long-term neurological dysfunction. Interpretation: Congenital LCMV infection can have diverse presenting signs, neuroimaging abnormalities, and clinical outcomes. In the companion article to this study, we utilize an animal model to show that the clinical and pathological diversity in congenital LCMV infection is likely due to differences in the gestational timing of infection.
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U2 - 10.1002/ana.21161
DO - 10.1002/ana.21161
M3 - Article
C2 - 17557350
AN - SCOPUS:36148993929
VL - 62
SP - 347
EP - 355
JO - Annals of Neurology
JF - Annals of Neurology
SN - 0364-5134
IS - 4
ER -