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Updated: Apr 15, 2026
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Induction and Clinical Scoring of Chronic-Relapsing Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis
Published on: July 4, 2007
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Infectious and autoantibody-associated encephalitis: clinical features and long-term outcome.
Sekhar C Pillai1, Yael Hacohen2, Esther Tantsis1
1Neuroimmunology Group, Institute of Neuroscience and Muscle Research at the Kids Research Institute, Children's Hospital at Westmead, University of Sydney, Australia; TY Nelson Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery and.
Pediatrics
|March 25, 2015
Summary
Pediatric encephalitis classification revealed immune-mediated/autoantibody-associated forms are common. Early recognition and treatment of these and other encephalitis types are crucial for better patient outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Neuroimmunology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Pediatric encephalitis presents with diverse causes, clinical features, and prognoses.
- Classifying encephalitis is crucial for targeted treatment and improved outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To classify and characterize infectious, immune-mediated/autoantibody-associated, and unknown forms of pediatric encephalitis.
- To determine the relative frequencies, clinical/radiologic phenotypes, and long-term outcomes of different encephalitis types.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 164 Australian children with encephalitis using consensus definitions.
- Clinical and radiologic phenotyping blinded to etiology; archived sera tested for specific autoantibodies.
- Long-term outcomes assessed via telephone interviews using the Liverpool Outcome Score.
Main Results:
- Immune-mediated/autoantibody-associated encephalitis accounted for 34% of cases; infectious encephalitis for 30%.
- Key subgroups included acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (21%), enterovirus (12%), and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antibody (6%).
- Abnormal outcomes occurred in 49% of patients, with herpes simplex virus and unknown forms having the worst prognoses.
Conclusions:
- Defined clinical and radiologic phenotypes for infectious and immune-mediated/autoantibody-associated encephalitis in children.
- Immune-mediated/autoantibody-associated encephalitis is a frequent and critical diagnosis requiring prompt recognition and management.
- Status epilepticus, MRI diffusion restriction, and ICU admission were associated with poorer outcomes.
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