An overview of viral infections of the nervous system in the immunosuppressed

Kennedy, P. G.E. (2021) An overview of viral infections of the nervous system in the immunosuppressed. Journal of Neurology, 268(8), pp. 3026-3030. (doi: 10.1007/s00415-020-10265-z) (PMID:33048220) (PMCID:PMC7552955)

Abstract

Several viruses have the capacity to cause serious infections of the nervous system in patients who are immunosuppressed. Individuals may be immunosuppressed because of primary inherited immunodeficiency, secondary immunodeficiency due to particular diseases such as malignancy, administration of immunosuppressant drugs or organ or bone marrow transplantation. The viruses capable of such opportunistic infection of the nervous system include herpes simplex virus (HSV), Varicella-Zoster virus (VZV), Cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein –Barr virus (EBV), Human Herpes virus type 6 (HHV-6), JC virus (JCV), enterovirus, measles virus and Covid-19. In most cases it seems likely that immunological defence mechanisms in the immunosuppressed are deficient which creates a suitable environment for certain viruses to become opportunistic in the nervous and other systems. Further research is required both to understand these opportunistic mechanisms in more detail and also to determine how many virus infections are modified by specific inborn errors of immunological responses.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Kennedy, Professor Peter
• Authors: Kennedy, P. G.E.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Infection & Immunity
• Journal Name: Journal of Neurology
• Publisher: Springer
• ISSN: 0340-5354
• ISSN (Online): 1432-1459
• Published Online: 13 October 2020
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2020 The Author
• First Published: First published in Journal of Neurology 268(8): 3026-3030
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons license