New type of encephalomyelitis responsive to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole treatment in Japan.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To determine the causative pathogen and investigate the effective treatment of a new type of encephalomyelitis with an unknown pathogen in Japan and report the preliminary ultrastructural and genomic characterization of the causative agent.

Methods

From 2005 to 2012, we treated 4 Japanese patients with geographic clustering and comparable clinical features, serum/CSF cytology, and radiologic findings. Brain biopsy was conducted in all patients to analyze neuropathologic changes by histology, and electron microscopy was applied to reveal the features of the putative pathogen. Genomic DNA was obtained from the affected brain tissues and CSF, and an unbiased high-throughput sequencing approach was used to screen for specific genomic sequences indicative of the pathoge

SUBMITTER: Sakiyama Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4537311 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature