PCR detected hepatitis C virus genome in the brain of a case with progressive encephalomyelitis with rigidity

Bolay H. B., Soylemezoglu F., Nurlu G., Tuncer S., Varli K.

CLINICAL NEUROLOGY AND NEUROSURGERY, cilt.98, sa.4, ss.305-308, 1996 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 98 Sayı: 4
  • Basım Tarihi: 1996
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1016/0303-8467(96)00040-6
  • Dergi Adı: CLINICAL NEUROLOGY AND NEUROSURGERY
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.305-308
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: progressive encephalomyelitis with rigidity (PEWR), hepatitis C virus (HCV), polymerase chain reaction (PCR), STIFF-MAN SYNDROME, INFECTION
  • Gazi Üniversitesi Adresli: Hayır

Özet

A case of progressive encephalomyelitis with rigidity (PEWR) associated with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is reported. A 58 year-old woman presented with a clinical picture of progressive quadriparesis, sensory loss, sphincter dysfunction, painful muscle spasms in the upper and lower limbs and continuous muscle unit activity in electromyography. She developed hepatitis, pancreatitis and HCV-RNA was detected in the plasma by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Postmortem histopathological examination showed encephalomyelitis with perivascular lymphocyte cuffing, infiltration and neuronal loss mainly affecting the brainstem and cervical spinal cord. The RT-PCR analysis of the postmortem brain, brainstem, liver, pancreas, plasma and CSF samples revealed the presence of HCV genome in all specimens except CSF. Clinical features, postmortem histopathology and PCR results and the possible etiopathogenesis of PEWR are briefly discussed.