The Focal Encephalopathies Associated with Mycoplasma Pneumoniae

Abstract

Five patients with evidence of focal encephalopathy are reported. In each case, evidence of mycoplasma pneumoniae infection was detected. No patient improved with conventional antibiotic therapy, but in three subjects, rapid and complete recovery did occur contemporaneously with the administration of high dose steroid therapy. It is suggested that focal as well as diffuse cerebral or cerebellar lesions may occur as manifestations of auto-immune disease complicating mycoplasmal infections in young people and that this illness may be designated as acute mycoplasmaassociated encephalopathy. RESUME: Encephalopathies focales a mycoplasma pneumoniae. Nous rapportons les cas de cinq patients prgsentant une encSphalopathie focale. Dans chaque cas, des signes d'infection a Mycoplasma pneumoniae ont et£ detected. Aucun patient ne s'est ameliore sous antibiotherapie conventionnelle. Cependant, chez trois patients, une guerison rapide et complete a ete obtenue alors que le patient etait sous corticotherapie intensive. Nous suggerons que des lesions focales et des lesions diffuses peuvent survenir au niveau du cerveau ou du cervelet comme manifestations d'une maladie auto-immune compliquant l'infection a mycoplasme chez les jeunes et que cette maladie pourrait etre designee sous le nom d'encephalopathie aigue associee au mycoplasme.