B cell and aquaporin-4 antibody relationships with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder activity.

This post hoc analysis of the randomized, placebo-controlled N-MOmentum study (NCT02200770) of inebilizumab in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) evaluated relationships between circulating B-cell subsets and aquaporin-4 immunoglobulin G (AQP4-lgG) titers and attacks. Among participants receiving placebo, CD20 and CD27 B-cell counts were modestly increased from the pre-attack visit to attack; plasmablast/plasma cell gene signature was increased from baseline to the pre-attack visit (p = 0.016) and from baseline to attack (p = 0.

Anti-RGS8 paraneoplastic cerebellar ataxia is preferentially associated with a particular subtype of Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Ataxia with anti-regulator of G-protein signaling 8 autoantibodies (RGS8-Abs) is an autoimmune disease recently described in four patients. The present study aimed to identify other patients with RGS8-Abs, describe their clinical features, including the link between RGS8-related autoimmune cerebellar ataxia (ACA) and cancer. Patients with RGS8-Abs were identified retrospectively in the biological collections of the French Reference Center for Paraneoplastic Neurological Syndrome and the University of California San Francisco Center for Encephalitis and Meningitis.

Irrigation increases and stabilizes mosquito populations and increases West Nile virus incidence.

Humans have greatly altered earth's terrestrial water cycle with the majority of fresh water being used for agriculture. Irrigation changes spatial and temporal water availability and alters mosquito abundance and phenology. Previous studies evaluating the effect of irrigation on mosquito abundance and mosquito-borne disease have shown inconsistent results and little is known about the effect of irrigation on variability in mosquito abundance.

Challenges in Diagnosing Varicella-Zoster Virus Encephalitis in an Immunocompromised Patient.

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is a virus of the alphaherpesvirus family that is one of the common causes of infectious encephalitis worldwide, especially among those who are immunocompromised. In this case report, we discuss a case of a 55-year-old female with end-stage renal disease presenting with altered mental status and weakness. She was recently diagnosed with herpes zoster on oral acyclovir and multiple scattered dermatomal rashes on presentation.

HLA-transgenic mouse models to study autoimmune central nervous system diseases.

It is known that certain human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes are associated with autoimmune central nervous system (CNS) diseases, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), but their exact role in disease susceptibility and etiopathogenesis remains unclear. The best studied HLA-associated autoimmune CNS disease is MS, and thus will be the primary focus of this review. Other HLA-associated autoimmune CNS diseases, such as autoimmune encephalitis and neuromyelitis optica will be discussed.

Diagnostic Detection of H7N3 Low Pathogenicity Avian Influenza in a Commercial Game Bird Flock.

Low pathogenicity avian influenza (LPAI) H7N3 was diagnosed in a flock of commercially raised Japanese quail () breeder hens. The birds were submitted with an initial complaint of a drop in egg production and watery droppings. Initial PCR testing of the flock for avian influenza (AI) was negative; however, mortality started increasing drastically, prompting further examination and the submission of more birds to the diagnostic laboratory.

Longitudinal study of cognitive function in people with HIV and toxoplasmic encephalitis or latent toxoplasma infection.

Background: Neurocognitive impairment (NCI) may occur during and persist even after recovery from HIV-related central nervous system (CNS) co-infections such as toxoplasmic encephalitis (TE). The long-term cognitive effects of TE and latent toxoplomasmic infections (LTI) among persons with HIV (PWH) are unknown. We measured longitudinal effects on neurocognitive functioning in PWH with TE compared to LTI or no toxoplasmal infection.

Isolated Psychiatric Symptoms in Children With Anti-N-Methyl-d Aspartate Receptor Encephalitis.

Background: Isolated psychiatric symptoms can be the initial symptom of pediatric anti-N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor autoimmune encephalitis (pNMDARE). Here we report on the prevalence of isolated psychiatric symptoms in pNMDARE. We also assess whether initial neurodiagnostic tests (brain magnetic resonance imaging [MRI], electroencephalography [EEG], and/or cerebrospinal fluid [CSF] white blood cell count) are abnormal in children with isolated psychiatric symptoms and pNMDARE.

La Crosse virus encephalitis in children.

Purpose Of Review: La Crosse virus encephalitis (LACV-E) is among the most common neuroinvasive arthropod-borne viral infections of childhood in North America. Children are uniquely predisposed to symptomatic disease, whereas symptomatic adult infections remain uncommon. Infection results frequently in neurologic symptomatology including headaches, seizures, and altered mentation, often necessitating hospitalization and significant diagnostic evaluation.

Immune-related encephalitis after immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy.

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have revolutionized cancer treatment but can trigger immune-related encephalitis. We report one of the largest case series of patients with immune-related encephalitis and review of the literature.

Methods: Retrospective series of patients with immune-related encephalitis and literature review.

CSF1R inhibition depletes brain macrophages and reduces brain virus burden in SIV-infected macaques.

Perivascular macrophages (PVMs) and, to a lesser degree, microglia are targets and reservoirs of HIV and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) in the brain. Previously, we demonstrated that colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) in PVMs was upregulated and activated in chronically SIV-infected rhesus macaques with encephalitis, correlating with SIV infection of PVMs. Herein, we investigated the role of CSF1R in the brain during acute SIV infection using BLZ945, a brain-penetrant CSF1R kinase inhibitor.

A systematic review of the epidemiology of pediatric autoimmune encephalitis: disease burden and clinical decision-making.

Background: Autoimmune encephalitis (AIE) comprises a group of rare, immune system-mediated conditions. Clinical manifestations among children are not well-characterized, and there are challenges in testing and diagnosis. This can result in treatment delays, which has been found to correlate with poorer long-term outcomes.

SARS-CoV-2 brainstem encephalitis in human inherited DBR1 deficiency.

Inherited deficiency of the RNA lariat-debranching enzyme 1 (DBR1) is a rare etiology of brainstem viral encephalitis. The cellular basis of disease and the range of viral predisposition are unclear. We report inherited DBR1 deficiency in a 14-year-old boy who suffered from isolated SARS-CoV-2 brainstem encephalitis.

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy and spectrum of predisposing conditions: a 20-year retrospective cohort study in a tertiary center in São Paulo, Brazil.

Background: Epidemiological studies on predisposing conditions and outcomes of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) cases have been carried out exclusively in high-income countries. We aim to report and compare the main characteristics and outcomes of patients with PML and several underlying diseases in a referral center in a middle-income country.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of PML cases admitted to a tertiary care hospital in São Paulo, Brazil during 2000-2022.

The rapidly progressing and fatal outcome of rhombencephalitis by listeriosis in a 61-year-old male.

Listeria monocytogenes is a Gram-positive facultative anaerobic bacterium that is ubiquitous in the environment and can cause severe infections in immunocompromised individuals, pregnant women, and newborns. Listeriosis can manifest as meningitis, encephalitis, or sepsis, and its diagnosis requires a high index of suspicion. The case is reported of a rare presentation of rhombencephalitis by listeriosis in a 61-year-old male who initially suffered from subacute gastric disturbances and fever.

A neutralizing antibody prevents postfusion transition of measles virus fusion protein.

Measles virus (MeV) presents a public health threat that is escalating as vaccine coverage in the general population declines and as populations of immunocompromised individuals, who cannot be vaccinated, increase. There are no approved therapeutics for MeV. Neutralizing antibodies targeting viral fusion are one potential therapeutic approach but have not yet been structurally characterized or advanced to clinical use.

Examining Associations Between Smartphone Use and Clinical Severity in Frontotemporal Dementia: Proof-of-Concept Study.

Background: Frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) is a leading cause of dementia in individuals aged <65 years. Several challenges to conducting in-person evaluations in FTLD illustrate an urgent need to develop remote, accessible, and low-burden assessment techniques. Studies of unobtrusive monitoring of at-home computer use in older adults with mild cognitive impairment show that declining function is reflected in reduced computer use; however, associations with smartphone use are unknown.

Mouse and human immune responses share neutralization epitopes of HAstV-VA1.

Unlabelled: Astroviruses are highly divergent and infect a wide variety of animal hosts. In 2009, a genetically divergent human astrovirus (HAstV) strain VA1 was first identified in an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis. This strain has also been associated with fatal central nervous system disease.

Exploring the role of temperature and other environmental factors in West Nile virus incidence and prediction in California counties from 2017-2022 using a zero-inflated model.

West Nile virus (WNV) is the most common mosquito-borne disease in the United States, resulting in hundreds of reported cases yearly in California alone. The transmission cycle occurs mostly in birds and mosquitoes, making meteorological conditions, such as temperature, especially important to transmission characteristics. Given that future increases in temperature are all but inevitable due to worldwide climate change, determining associations between temperature and WNV incidence in humans, as well as making predictions on future cases, are important to public health agencies in California.

Gemykibivirus detection in acute encephalitis patients from Nepal.

Unlabelled: Acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) causes significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. In Nepal, Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) accounts for ~5-20% of AES cases, but ~75% of AES cases are of unknown etiology. We identified a gemykibivirus in CSF collected in 2020 from an 8-year-old male patient with AES using metagenomic next-generation sequencing.