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Herpes simplex virus encephalitis: chronic progressive cerebral MRI changes despite good clinical recovery and low viral load ‐ an experimental mouse study
Author(s) -
MeydingLamadé Uta,
Lamadé Wolfram,
Kehm Roland,
Oberlinner Christoph,
Fäth Almut,
Wildemann Brigitte,
Haas Jürgen,
Hacke Werner
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
european journal of neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.881
H-Index - 124
eISSN - 1468-1331
pISSN - 1351-5101
DOI - 10.1046/j.1468-1331.1999.650531.x
Subject(s) - medicine , herpes simplex virus , viral load , pathology , cerebrospinal fluid , viral encephalitis , encephalitis , magnetic resonance imaging , virus , virology , radiology
Cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a sensitive diagnostic tool for the in vivo detection of morphological abnormalities in herpes simplex virus encephalitis (HSVE). We performed a long‐term MRI study in a mouse model of HSVE. Cranial MRI findings were compared with the viral load within brain tissue, the presence of HSV DNA in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), a daily clinical assessment and post‐mortem neurohistopathological studies. A 1.5 T cranial MRI scanner with standard spin‐echo sequences was used. Viral load within the brain and the presence of HSV DNA in cerebrospinal fluid were determined by a polymerase chain reaction assay. Clinically, animals were severely affected within the first 2 weeks and recovered thereafter. Focal histopathological and MRI abnormalities involved predominantly limbic structures, a pattern that mimics human disease. Severity and extent of abnormalities had increased at 6 months despite clinical improvement. HSV DNA was present in CSF during the acute disease only. Brain viral load peaked at day 10 and declined thereafter. MRI as an in vivo monitoring approach may reveal chronic progressive changes in HSVE, despite clinical recovery and low viral load in the brain. Secondary, not directly virus‐mediated, mechanisms of tissue damage may contribute to tissue damage of HSVE.