Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 27, 2026

Antibody Transfection into Neurons as a Tool to Study Disease Pathogenesis
Published on: September 26, 2012
Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein Autoimmunity After Aseptic Meningitis: A Report of 2 Cases
Christian G Bien1, Thomas Büttner2, Ina C Reichen2
1From the Bielefeld University (C.G.B.); Klinikum Emden (T.B., A.T.), Germany; University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich (I.C.R., B.V., I.J.), Switzerland; Laboratory Krone (C.I.B.), Bad Salzuflen; Krankenhaus Mara (F.W.), Bielefeld, Germany. christian.bien@gmx.de.
Objectives:
We describe 2 patients with glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) autoimmunity secondary to aseptic viral meningitis or meningoencephalomyelitis.
Methods:
This study involved a retrospective chart review.
Results:
Two female patients, 45 and 55 years of age, developed aseptic meningoencephalomyelitis or meningitis; in one patient, it was likely caused by herpes simplex virus 2. The patients were recovering from the infectious condition when they, 51 and 5 days after onset, had new symptoms with detection of GFAP antibodies in the CSF; CSF and serum samples from the initial lumbar punctures had been negative for GFAP antibodies. Both patients recovered with steroid treatment (in one case, plus rituximab; in the other, plus azathioprine) including resolution of MRI and CSF abnormalities.
Discussion:
These 2 patients had GFAP autoimmunity secondary to viral meningoencephalomyelitis or meningitis. This suggests that GFAP astrocytopathy might not always be a primary disease entity; it may follow another brain injury that triggers this autoimmune response.
More Related Videos
09:01Flow Cytometric Analysis of Lymphocyte Infiltration in Central Nervous System during Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis
Published on: November 17, 2020
09:36Primary Cultures of Rat Astrocytes and Microglia and Their Use in the Study of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Published on: June 23, 2022
Related Concept Videos
Bacterial Meningitis I: Introduction
Bacterial Meningitis II: Pathophysiology
Encephalitis l: Introduction
Encephalitis ll: Pathophysiology
Brain Abscess l: Introduction
Myasthenia Gravis ll: Pathophysiology