ABSTRACT The Scientific Department of Neuroimmunology of the Brazilian Academy of Neurology (DCNI/ABN) and Brazilian Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunological Diseases (BCTRIMS) provide recommendations in this document for vaccination of the population with demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) against infections in general and against the severe acut...
ABSTRACT Zika virus (ZIKV) is now considered an emerging flavivirosis, with a first large outbreak registered in the Yap Islands in 2007. In 2013, a new outbreak was reported in the French Polynesia, with associated cases of neurological complications including Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). The incidence of GBS has increased in Brazil since 2015, what is speculated to be secondary to the ZIKV infection outbrea...
Objective To assess the prevalence and the profile of adverse events (AE) of natalizumab in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods Data collection from neurologists attending to patients with MS at specialized units in Brazil. Results Data from 103 patients attending the infusion centers of 16 MS units in 9 Brazilian states were included in the study. The total number of infusions was 1,042. Seventy-nin...
Objective To analyze the agreement rate of proton magnetic spectroscopy with magnetic resonance image (MRI) and surface electroence-phalography (EEG) in extratemporal neocortical epilepsies. Methods A cross-sectional study, type series of cases included 33 patients, age range 13–59 years old, of both gender, presenting structural alteration identified by MRI (75.8%) or by neurophysiologic techniques (72.7%). Th...
Objective Natalizumab is a new and efficient treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS). The risk of developing progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) during the use of this drug has created the need for better comprehension of JC virus (JCV) infection. The objective of the present study was to assess the prevalence of JCV-DNA in Brazilian patients using natalizumab. Method Qualitative detection of the JCV...
Multiple sclerosis (MS) starting in childhood and adolescence poses a challenge for diagnosis and management of the disease. The aim of the present study was to assess the characteristics of early onset MS in Brazilian patients. Methods Retrospective data collection from specialized MS units. Results From 20 MS units in 11 Brazilian states, 117 cases of MS starting before the age of 18 years were collected. The...
The diagnosis of schistosomal myelitis (SM) is frequently presumptive because no findings from any complementary examination are pathognomonic for this disease. The present report describes some abnormalities seen on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evaluation of a series of SM patients and discusses their etiopathogenesis. Methods: This study evaluated SM patients at the time of their diagnosis. These patients...
In neuroschistosomiasis, the spinal cord is the most common place of the disease. In high prevalent areas for schistosomiasis mansoni, the clinical alertness is important for an early diagnostic, in order to decrease the final neurological damage. This study provides some useful neurologic information about a series of patients with schistosomal myelitis. METHOD: The sample consisted of 13 schistosomiasis manso...
The mechanism for development of schistosomal myelitis has not yet been completely understood. Few publications have tried to establish a link between the general clinical presentation of the illness and its neurological manifestations. Objective: To evaluated the portal blood flow in patients with schistosomal myelitis and controls. Method: Forty-three individuals were evaluated using portal Doppler ultrasound...
The urbanization process of schistosomiasis has been described in the literature. The present report shows and discusses some epidemiological aspects of neuroschistosomiasis that emphasizes this trend. Method: The study was done between July, 2005 and June, 2006, and consisted of spinal cord schistosomiasis carriers at the moment of diagnosis. These patients were evaluated whatever the origin and period of the ...