Summary
Two patients are reported with a chronic progressive illness characterized by dementia, ataxia and spasticity. There were no myoclonic jerks and both had normal electroencephalograms (EEG). Pathological findings in three brain biopsies were those of viral meningoencephalitis with perivenous demyelination. Serological data in both patients indicated the presence of a measles virus infection. Intracytoplasmic structures resembling measles virus nucleocapsids were found in the brain biopsy of one patient. Immunofluorescent staining showed antibody in the temporal lobe biopsy of both patients. It is suggested that these patients are examples of a chronic form of measles meningoencephalitis hitherto undescribed.
Zusammenfassung
Es wird über 2 Patienten berichtet, die an einer chronisch progredienten Erkrankung litten, die charakterisiert war durch Demenz, Ataxie und Spastizität. Es lagen keine myoklonischen Zuckungen vor, und beide hatten ein normales Elektroencephalogramm. In drei Hirnbiopsien fanden sich die für eine Virusmeningoencephalitis mit perivenöser Demyelinisation typischen Zeichen. Die Serologie wies in beiden Fällen auf eine Masernvirusinfektion hin. In der Hirnbiopsie eines der Patienten fanden sich introcytoplasmatische Strukturen, welche den Nukleokapsiden des Masernvirus glichen. Mit Immunofluoreszenzmethoden ließen sich Antikörper in der Biopsie aus dem Schläfenlappen der beiden Patienten nachweisen. Es wird die Vermutung geäußert, daß diese Patienten an einer chronischen Form der Masernmeningoencephalitis litten, die klinisch nicht von der progredienten disseminierten Form einer „möglichen“ Multiplen Sklerose unterschieden werden kann.
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Derakhshan, I., Shafii, A., Lotfi, J. et al. An unusual form of measles meningoencephalitis. J. Neurol. 221, 169–180 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00313048
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00313048