G. Sakoulas, Brainstem and striatal encephalitis complicating Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia: Possible benefit of intravenous immunoglobulin, PEDIAT INF, 20(5), 2001, pp. 543-545
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.