An ultrastructural analysis of human post-infectious (allergic) encephalomyelitis

A 6-year-old boy developed post-infectious encephalomyelitis and underwent a brain biopsy (10 days after the onset of neurologic symptoms). Electron microscopic analysis of brain showed demyelinated axons, thinly myelinated axons, aberrant remyelination, and numerous phagocytes containing myelin debris. Physical stripping of myelin by pseudopodial extensions of macrophages, as reported in experimental allergic encephalomyelitis, was noted. Hypertrophic and hyperplastic astrocytes were prominent among the phagocytic cells and played an unexpectedly active role in demyelination.