Status epilepticus and Epstein-Barr virus encephalopathy. Diagnosis by modern serologic techniques
J. Russell, M. Fisher, J. A. Zivin, J. Sullivan and D. A. Drachman
Three patients had status epilepticus appearing de novo as the presenting
manifestation of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) encephalopathy. Clinical findings
of infectious mononucleosis were absent and EBV-specific serologic tests
made or confirmed the diagnosis in each case. Epstein-Barr virus should be
considered as a potential cause when status epilepticus occurs in the
absence of previous seizures or an identified cause of seizures. The
diagnosis may be made in some cases only with the use of EBV-specific
serologic testing.
