Encephalitis With Thalamic and Basal Ganglia Abnormalities: Etiologies, Neuroimaging, and Potential Role of Respiratory Viruses

Abstract

T/BG involvement in patients with suspected encephalitis was associated with specific etiologies. In addition to agents with established predilection for the T/BG such as M. tuberculosis and arboviruses, a surprisingly high number of cases were associated with respiratory viruses, especially in children. Neuroimaging abnormalities in such patients can aid clinicians in narrowing the etiological scope and in guiding testing.