Rabies Encephalomyelitis

• DOI: 10.1001/archneur.62.6.873
• Publication Date: 2005-06-13T20:53:37Z
• Authors: Elizabeth C. Burton
• Keywords: Etiology

Three patients received solid organ transplants from a common donor and were subsequently discharged the hospital following an uneventful course. Within 30 days, all 3 recipients returned to with varying symptoms that progressed rapid neurological deterioration, coma, death.To describe clinical, neuroradiological, pathological findings of rabies virus infection in transplant infected donor.Case series involving ascertained through review clinical course autopsy findings. A fourth case was determined by pending cases which death occurred within same time interval. Portions postmortem central nervous system tissues frozen formalin-fixed. Fluids also collected for cultures, serology, molecular studies. Postmortem fluids antemortem 4 serum banked lymphocyte or spleen cells donors sent Centers Disease Control Prevention further evaluation.Transplant unit urban teaching hospital.Antemortem cerebrospinal fluid analysis consistent viral etiology. Neuroimaging electroencephalogram studies suggestive infectious encephalitis toxic encephalopathy. Initial laboratory testing did not demonstrate histologic analysis, immunohistochemistry, electron microscopy, direct fluorescence antibody revealed infection. Serological done confirmed donor.These risk transmitting tissue transplantation, this diagnosis should be considered any rapidly progressing disease.