Brainstem and striatal encephalitis complicating Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia: Possible benefit of intravenous immunoglobulin

Encephalitides of the brainstem and the striatum associated with Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection are believed to be mediated by an autoimmune process triggered by the organism, a toxin or direct invasion by the organism itsel f. Inability to identify M. pneumoniae from cerebrospinal fluid by culture or polymerase chain reaction suggested a possible immunologic process. A tr ial of intravenous immunoglobulin in a critically ill patient with encephal itis that developed in parallel to M. pneumoniae pneumonia was associated w ith neurologic improvement within 48 h of treatment.