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Diagnosing acute encephalitis in patients with hematological disorders: caveats and pitfalls

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to review the quality of the diagnostic work-up for acute encephalitis carried out at our center in a cohort of patients with hematological disorders. Our data showed substantial heterogeneity in investigating patients. Not all patients had their CSF tested for viruses commonly responsible for encephalitis in immunocompetent individuals (e.g., VZV, enterovirus). A blood sample for the calculation of the CSF/blood replication ratio was collected in 74% of cases. CSF cultures and immunophenotyping of CSF cells were performed in 77% and 21% of patients, respectively. A multidisciplinary consensus is needed to improve current guidelines and standardize diagnostic protocols.

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Author notes

  1. Elisa Vegezzi and Giulia Berzero contributed equally to the manuscript.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neuroncology Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy

    Elisa Vegezzi, Giulia Berzero & Enrico Marchioni

  2. Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy

    Elisa Vegezzi & Anna Pichiecchio

  3. Infectious and Tropical Diseases Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy

    Desiree Barbetta & Enrico Brunetti

  4. Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy

    Anna Amelia Colombo, Oscar Borsani & Paolo Bernasconi

  5. Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy

    Oscar Borsani & Paolo Bernasconi

  6. Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy

    Francesca Compagno & Marco Zecca

  7. Molecular Virology Unit, Microbiology and Virology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy

    Giulia Campanini & Fausto Baldanti

  8. Diagnostic Radiology, Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy

    Anna Simoncelli

  9. Neuroradiology Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy

    Matteo Paoletti & Anna Pichiecchio

  10. Department of Clinical, Surgical, Diagnostic and Paediatric Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy

    Fausto Baldanti & Enrico Brunetti

Authors
  1. Elisa Vegezzi
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  2. Giulia Berzero
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  3. Desiree Barbetta
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  4. Anna Amelia Colombo
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  5. Oscar Borsani
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  6. Paolo Bernasconi
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  7. Francesca Compagno
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  8. Marco Zecca
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  9. Giulia Campanini
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  10. Anna Simoncelli
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  11. Matteo Paoletti
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  13. Fausto Baldanti
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  14. Enrico Brunetti
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  15. Enrico Marchioni
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Correspondence to Enrico Marchioni.

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Vegezzi, E., Berzero, G., Barbetta, D. et al. Diagnosing acute encephalitis in patients with hematological disorders: caveats and pitfalls. J. Neurovirol. 26, 257–263 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13365-019-00817-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13365-019-00817-z

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