Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 27, 2026

Induction and Clinical Scoring of Chronic-Relapsing Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis
26:48

Induction and Clinical Scoring of Chronic-Relapsing Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis

Published on: July 4, 2007

Kawasaki disease complicated by mild encephalopathy with a reversible splenial lesion (MERS)

Jun-ichi Takanashi1, Kentaro Shirai, Yuji Sugawara

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Kameda Medical Center, Kamogawa, Japan. jtaka@kameda.jp

Journal of the Neurological Sciences
|December 2, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Kawasaki disease can present with mild encephalitis/encephalopathy with a reversible splenial lesion (MERS). Pediatricians should monitor older children with Kawasaki disease for MERS and potential cardiac complications.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Rheumatology

Background:

  • Kawasaki disease (KD) is a critical pediatric illness.
  • Mild encephalitis/encephalopathy with a reversible splenial lesion (MERS) is a rare neurological complication.

Observation:

  • Four pediatric patients (2-10 years) with Kawasaki disease developed MERS.
  • Neurological symptoms, hyponatremia, and brain lesions were observed.

Findings:

  • All patients received intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy.
  • Neurological and radiological findings resolved completely in all patients.
  • One patient with poor IVIG response developed a cardiac aneurysm.

Implications:

  • MERS should be recognized as a potential complication in pediatric Kawasaki disease.
  • Older children with Kawasaki disease may have a higher risk of cardiac sequelae.
  • Prompt diagnosis and management are crucial for favorable outcomes.

Related Concept Videos

Encephalitis l: Introduction01:19

Encephalitis l: Introduction

Encephalitis is inflammation of the brain parenchyma, most often due to infections or autoimmune processes. It presents with neuropsychiatric features such as fever, altered mental status, behavioral changes, cognitive dysfunction, seizures, focal deficits, and sometimes autonomic instability. In some cases, the meninges are also involved, resulting in meningoencephalitis.Infectious CausesInfectious encephalitis is most commonly viral but can also result from bacterial, fungal, or parasitic...
Encephalitis ll: Pathophysiology01:26

Encephalitis ll: Pathophysiology

Encephalitis is inflammation of the brain parenchyma caused by direct viral invasion or immune-mediated mechanisms triggered by infections or tumors. Both processes lead to neuronal injury, disrupted neurotransmission, and diverse neurological symptoms, often with overlapping clinical and pathological features.Autoimmune EncephalitisIn autoimmune encephalitis, antibodies target neuronal antigens on cell surfaces, synapses, or within neurons. A key example is anti-NMDAR encephalitis, which can...
Bacterial Meningitis I: Introduction01:22

Bacterial Meningitis I: Introduction

Bacterial meningitis is a severe, life-threatening inflammation of the meninges, particularly the pia mater and arachnoid mater, affecting the subarachnoid space, ventricles, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). If untreated, it can lead to significant neurological complications or death.Causative AgentsCommon pathogens vary with age and immune status. In adults, major organisms include Streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis, and Haemophilus influenzae. Streptococcus agalactiae (group B...
Hepatic Encephalopathy01:29

Hepatic Encephalopathy

DefinitionHepatic encephalopathy is a reversible neurologic syndrome that results from advanced liver dysfunction or portosystemic shunting. It leads to disturbances in cognition, behavior, and motor function due to the brain’s exposure to gut-derived toxins that the liver fails to detoxify.EtiologyThis condition develops either in the setting of acute fulminant hepatitis or progressively during chronic liver disease, such as cirrhosis and portal hypertension. Portosystemic shunting—including...
Multiple Sclerosis l: Introduction01:19

Multiple Sclerosis l: Introduction

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS) that affects the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves. It is an inflammatory demyelinating disorder and a leading cause of neurological disability in young adults.EpidemiologyMS commonly begins between 20 and 40 years of age and is twice as common in women. Its exact cause remains unclear, but genetic susceptibility contributes, with higher risk in first-degree relatives and identical twins. A greater...
Endocarditis II: Clinical Features of Infective Endocarditis01:25

Endocarditis II: Clinical Features of Infective Endocarditis

Endocarditis can present various clinical features depending on the causative organism and the patient's underlying health conditions. Initially, the clinical features of infective endocarditis develop gradually, presenting with nonspecific symptoms that can be easily mistaken for other illnesses.General SymptomsEarly symptoms of infective endocarditis are fever, chills, weakness, malaise, fatigue, and weight loss. These symptoms reflect the systemic nature of the infection and the body's...