Herpes simplex virus encephalitis is a trigger of brain autoimmunity
Year: 2013
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: In 5 prospectively diagnosed patients with relapsing post-herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE), N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antibodies were identified. Antibody synthesis started 1 to 4 weeks after HSE, preceding the neurological relapse. Three of 5 patients improved postimmunotherapy, 1 spontaneously, and 1 has started to improve. Two additional patients with NMDAR antibodies, 9 with unknown neuronal surface antibodies, and 1 with NMDAR and unknown antibodies, were identified during retrospective assessment of 34 HSE patients; the frequency of autoantibodies increased over time (serum, p=0.004; cerebrospinal fluid, p=0.04). The 3 retrospectively identified NMDAR antibody-positive patients also had evidence of relapsing post-HSE. Overall, these findings indicate that HSE triggers NMDAR antibodies and potentially other brain autoimmunity.
Source: Annals of Neurology
DOI: 10.1002/ana.24083
Institutions: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Consorci Institut D'Investigacions Biomediques August Pi I Sunyer, Universitat de Barcelona, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, Donostiako Unibertsitate Ospitalea, Albany Medical Center Hospital, Stanford Medicine, Stanford University, Erasmus MC, Medical University of Vienna, California Department of Public Health, Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, University of Pennsylvania
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Neurology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2108987556