Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 22, 2026

Hippocampal Neuronal Cultures to Detect and Study New Pathogenic Antibodies Involved in Autoimmune Encephalitis
Published on: June 2, 2022
Pathogen and Antibody Identification in Children with Encephalitis in Myanmar
Maria M Galardi1, Gavin M Sowa2, Cameron D Crockett1
1Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO.
Objective:
Prospective studies of encephalitis are rare in regions where encephalitis is prevalent, such as low middle-income Southeast Asian countries. We compared the diagnostic yield of local and advanced tests in cases of pediatric encephalitis in Myanmar.
Methods:
Children with suspected subacute or acute encephalitis at Yangon Children's Hospital, Yangon, Myanmar, were prospectively recruited from 2016-2018. Cohort 1 (n = 65) had locally available diagnostic testing, whereas cohort 2 (n = 38) had advanced tests for autoantibodies (ie, cell-based assays, tissue immunostaining, studies with cultured neurons) and infections (ie, BioFire FilmArray multiplex Meningitis/Encephalitis multiplex PCR panel, metagenomic sequencing, and pan-viral serologic testing [VirScan] of cerebrospinal fluid).
Results:
A total of 20 cases (13 in cohort 1 and 7 in cohort 2) were found to have illnesses other than encephalitis. Of the 52 remaining cases in cohort 1, 43 (83%) had presumed infectious encephalitis, of which 2 cases (4%) had a confirmed infectious etiology. Nine cases (17%) had presumed autoimmune encephalitis. Of the 31 cases in cohort 2, 23 (74%) had presumed infectious encephalitis, of which one (3%) had confirmed infectious etiology using local tests only, whereas 8 (26%) had presumed autoimmune encephalitis. Advanced tests confirmed an additional 10 (32%) infections, 4 (13%) possible infections, and 5 (16%) cases of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antibody encephalitis.
Interpretation:
Pediatric encephalitis is prevalent in Myanmar, and advanced technologies increase identification of treatable infectious and autoimmune causes. Developing affordable advanced tests to use globally represents a high clinical and research priority to improve the diagnosis and prognosis of encephalitis. ANN NEUROL 2023;93:615-628.
More Related Videos
09:37Detection of Polyfunctional T Cells in Children Vaccinated with Japanese Encephalitis Vaccine via the Flow Cytometry Technique
Published on: September 23, 2022
06:22Standardization of Transfer across Labs between Flow Cytometers for Detection of Lymphocytes in Japanese Encephalitis Vaccinated Children
Published on: February 10, 2023
Related Concept Videos
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
Viral Meningitis
Poliomyelitis
Arboviral Encephalitis
Encephalitis l: Introduction
Encephalitis ll: Pathophysiology