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DOI: 10.1055/s-2000-9240
Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York
Single Convulsive Seizure as Isolated Neurological Complication of Mycoplasma Pneumoniae Infection
Publication History
Publication Date:
31 December 2000 (online)
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Sir,
Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection is a common cause of respiratory tract infection in young adults and children [[6]]; the disease can be endemic in some settings, but epidemics occur at four-to-five year intervals in the fall and winter months [[21], [22]]. M. pneumoniae affects mainly children and young adults and its peak incidence is at age 10 [[7]]. Since the report by Skoldenborg in 1965 [[25]], it has been known that M. pneumoniae infection can cause several neurological complications such as encephalitis, meningitis, polyradiculitis, psychosis, transverse myelitis, myositis, etc. [[5], [8], [10], [16], [17], [24], [27]]. Central nervous system manifestations occur in about one of 1000 patients with M. pneumoniae-associated infections [[15]]. The onset of these manifestations is usually acute and epileptic seizures have often been described as one of the presenting symptoms of CNS involvement [[5], [11], [15], [20], [27]]. However, the occurrence of single, prolonged convulsive seizure as the first and only neurological symptom of M. pneumoniae infection has never been emphasized.
We report on three children presenting with non-recurrent prolonged convulsive seizures due to M. pneumoniae infection.
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Dr. S. Calzolari
Unità di Neuropsichiatria Infantile Ospedale Santa Chiara
Largo Medaglie d'Oro
38100 Trento
Italy
Email: E-mail: calzolari@tn.apss.tn.it