Persistent Intrathecal Immune Activation in Patients with Herpes Simplex Encephalitis
- 1 November 1993
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in The Journal of Infectious Diseases
- Vol. 168 (5) , 1248-1252
- https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/168.5.1248
Abstract
Neopterin and β2-microglobulin (β2M) levels were analyzed in sequential cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum samples from 20 patients with herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) and 30 patients with acute febrile encephalopathy of other cause (non-HSE). Markedly elevated acutephase CSF levels of neopterin and β2M were found in 19 HSE patients, but the levels were only moderately increased in most of those with non-HSE. Neopterin levels were analyzed in an additional 15 HSE patients who died within a month of the onset of neurologic symptoms and correlated with the clinical severity of the HSE. After HSE, but not after non-HSE, increased levels of neopterin and β2M persisted for a long time (⩾13 years). Specific intrathecal IgG activity persisted in all but 2 HSE patients. These findings indicate that there is a vigorous acute inflammatory response and a long-term persistence of intrathecal cellular and humoral immune activity in HSE.Keywords
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