HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: cmr.2009.864v1 cmr.2009.864v2 7/4/142    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Big, C. Articles by Reineck, L. A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Big, C. Articles by Reineck, L. A.

Viral Infections of the Central Nervous System: A Case-Based Review

Division of Infectious Diseases and the Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

Lora A. Reineck, MD

Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

Corresponding Author: David M. Aronoff, MD, 4618 Medical Sciences Building II, 1150 West Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5623, Tel: 734-647-1786, Fax: 734-763-4168, Email: daronoff{at}umich.edu

Abstract

Three patients with viral infections of the central nervous system (CNS) were evaluated on an inpatient infectious diseases consultation service within a two-week period. These cases, caused by herpes simplex virus, varicella zoster virus and enterovirus, highlight the importance of viral pathogens in causing debilitating infections of the CNS and provide examples of the utility of molecular diagnostics in evaluating patients with encephalitis and meningitis. The importance of antiviral therapy is particularly underscored by these cases, as is the variability in response of patients to such agents.

Key Words: Acyclovir • Encephalitis • Herpes infections • Meningitis