Epstein‐Barr Virus Antibodies in Neurological Diseases

Abstract

Antibody titers to the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were determined in 57 cases of acute or subacute neurological diseases. As a result, sera from 11 cases (7 Bell's palsy, 2 encephalitis and 2 acute cerebellar ataxia) were found to be positive for antibodies to early antigen. Seven of these 11 cases either seroconverted for IgG antibodies to viral capsid antigen (VCA) or were proven positive for anti-VCA-IgM antibodies in the serum. While 4 were found positive for IgG antibodies to VCA in CSF, 3 tested by the anti-complement immunofluorescence method were all negative for EBV-associated nuclear antigen (EBNA) in CSF. Three of the 11 cases were considered to be of a primary infection with EBV because of a negative serologic test for antibodies to EBNA initially; a reinfection with the virus or a reactivation of the latent infection was suspected in some of the remaining cases.

Neurological complications of acute and persistent Epstein‐Barr virus infection in paediatric patients

“…Acute EBV infections account for approximately 2 to 5% of infection-related neurological diseases [Yabuki et al, 1985;Bale, 1999], and a similar rate (2/48) was observed in the present study. Reactivated or chronic active EBV infections, in contrast, were found in 17% (8/48) of our patients.…”

Bilateral facial nerve palsy associated with Epstein-Barr virus infection

“…Positive EBV serological test result has previously been reported in patients with Bell's palsy 8. Excluding acute EBV infection might be helpful in the diagnosis of patients with facial palsy, particularly when bilateral, even in cases with no systemic manifestations of EBV infection.…”

Unilateral and Reversible Hypoglossal Nerve Palsy Due to Infectious Mononucleosis

“…Acute EBV infections account for approximately 2% to 5% of infection-related neurological diseases [2,3]. Hausler et al [4] investigated 48 pediatric patients with neurological complications of acute and persistent EBV infection and reported a similar (4%; 2/48) rate of infection-related neurological disease.…”

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Infectious mononucleosis is a benign, self-limiting disorder caused by primary Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. Various neurological diseases, such as encephalitis, meningitis, acute inflammatory polyneuropathy, Bell's palsy, and peripheral neuropathy, may be associated with EBV infection; however, involvement of the central nervous system (CNS) is relatively uncommon [1][2][3][4][5]. Rare cases of hypoglossal nerve palsy associated with acute EBV infection have been reported in children [6][7][8][9].

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