Epstein Barr virus encephalitis: Clinical diversity and radiological similarity

Abstract

Clinico-radiological features of two patients with cerebrospinal fluid polymerase chain reaction-positive Epstein Barr virus (EBV) encephalitis have been reported. Both the patients presented with fever and altered sensorium, one had visual hallucination, decerebration followed by visual loss and the other had downward ocular deviation and orofacial and upper limb choreiform movement. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed parieto-occipital involvement in both the patients. Follow-up MRI at one month was normal in one and revealed regression of lesion in the other. Both the patients, however, had severe neurologic sequelae at 18 months' follow-up. EBV encephalitis may have diverse clinical presentation with characteristic parieto-occipital involvement.