Human parechovirus causing extensive white matter brain injury in a neonate

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Shivamurthy, Vinay M. | Nandhakumar, N. | Gosalalakkal, Jayaprakash A. | Hussain, Nahin

Affiliations: Department of Pediatric Neurology, Leicester Royal Infirmary, Leicester, UK | Department of Pediatrics, Kettering General Hospital, Northamptonshire, UK

Note: [] Correspondence: Nahin Hussain D.CH, MSc, FRCPCH, Department of Paediatric Neurology, Leicester Royal Infirmary, Infirmary Square, Leicester, LE1 5WW, UK. Tel.: +44 116 258 5564; Fax: +44 116 258 7637; E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract: There is a wide differential for white matter changes on magnetic resonance imaging in an un-well neonate. Human parechovirus is one of the very few neurotropic viruses, which presents with sepsis like illness or encephalitis in neonates and can cause extensive white matter changes in the brain. We present a 7-week-old infant with fever, lethargy and poor feeding, who had extensive white matter changes on magnetic resonance imaging of the brain. Cerebrospinal fluid polymerase chain reaction was positive for human parechovirus.

Keywords: Human parechovirus, cerebrospinal fluid, polymerase chain reaction

DOI: 10.3233/JPN-130606

Journal: Journal of Pediatric Neurology, vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 115-117, 2013