Movement disorders in encephalitis induced by Rhodococcus aurantiacus infection relieved by the administration of L-dopa and anti-T-cell antibodies

Mice injected with Rhodococcus aurantiacus by the intravenous (i.v.) route show neurological disorders, hemiparesis, vertical headshake and turn-round gait after day 7 postinfection (p.i.). Neurological symptoms caused by i.v . inoculation of R. aurantiacus were relieved by treatment with levodopa (L -dopa). R. aurantiacus was isolated from the brain and was found td be comp letely eliminated at day 7 p.i. Focal encephalitis was mainly observed in t he brain stem, and T cells could be isolated from the brain after day 7 p.i . Administration of both an anti-CD4 monoclonal antibody (mAb) and an anti- CD8 mAb suppressed neurological symptoms. These results suggest that R aura ntiacus induces movement disorders in mice, and that the symptoms are media ted by T cells infiltrating the brain, rather than directly by the bacteriu m.