Vilyuisk encephalomyelitis. Infectious nature of the disease and pathogenesis (Review)

Abstract

Vilyuisk encephalomyelitis (VEM) is a degenerative disease of the central nervous system, in the acute form it is manifested by meningoencephalitis that tends to develop into a prolonged chronically progressive pan-encephalitis. Rapidly progressive variant of the disease is characterized by fatal consequences within 12 months. Despite 60 years of investigation of Vilyui encephalomyelitis by experienced scholars, the cause of the disease has not been yet clarified, however, there are some obvious clinical, pathological and epidemiological evidences that VEM is a contagious infectious disease that distributes as latent and chronic infections. In the structure of VEM, a special place is occupied by unique variants of the disease with a two-phase course of the disease. We assume that this group of diseases is caused by serotypes Theiler’s murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV). If VEM is caused by TMEV, it is likely that these viruses have a special mechanism of transmission to susceptible populations of Homo sapiens. The disease may be caused by the non-structural L* protein of the virus.