EARLY INTRATHECAL SYNTHESIS OF INTERFERON IN HERPES-ENCEPHALITIS

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  • 1 January 1979
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 31  (9-10) , 267-271
Abstract
Large quantities of type I interferon were detected in the CSF collected at the onset of herpes encephalitis [human]. This interferon was synthesized intrathecally and disappeared about 10 days after the beginning of neurological signs. In 12 cases of post-eruptive measles encephalitis and in 4 post-rubella encephalitis, type I interferon was present only in low amounts, or not found at all, even in the CSF collected early. The existence of an intrathecal synthesis of interferon during encephalitis provides a valuable contribution to the early diagnosis of herpes encephalitis and the study of the pathogenesis of virus infection of the CNS.