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Benign afebrile seizures in acute gastroenteritis: is rotavirus the culprit?

Stanley Iyadurai1, Matthew Troester, John Harmala

  • 1Departments of Neurology, Barrow Neurological Institute, St Joseph's Hospital, 350 West Thomas Road, Phoenix, AZ 85013, USA. stanley.iyadurai@chw.edu

Journal of Child Neurology
|August 24, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Three young children experienced seizures and epileptiform discharges. Later, they developed severe diarrhea caused by Rotazyme, suggesting a potential link between viral infections and neurological symptoms in pediatric patients.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Clinical Diagnostics

Background:

  • Benign afebrile seizures are common in young children.
  • Epileptiform discharges on electroencephalograms (EEGs) indicate abnormal brain activity.
  • Rotavirus is a common cause of gastroenteritis in infants and young children.

Observation:

  • Three pediatric patients presented with recurrent afebrile seizures.
  • EEG recordings showed epileptiform discharges in all patients.
  • All three patients subsequently developed severe, Rotazyme-positive diarrhea during hospitalization.

Findings:

  • A correlation was observed between epileptiform discharges and the onset of Rotazyme-positive diarrhea.
  • The clinical presentation suggests a potential link between viral gastroenteritis and neurological events in susceptible children.

Implications:

  • This case series highlights the importance of considering viral infections, such as rotavirus, in the differential diagnosis of pediatric seizures.
  • Further research into the immunological mechanisms underlying this association could improve diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
  • Early detection and management of rotavirus infection may potentially mitigate neurological complications in children.

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