Three cases of central nervous system complications associated with Mycoplasma pneumoniae

We report three new cases of acute central nervous system disease occurring shortly after Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection. The clinical phenotypes were characterized by encephalopathy (n = 2), optic neuritis (n = 1), transverse myelitis (n = 1), and seizures (n = 1). Although there was strong supportive evidence of preceding M. pneumoniae infection, cerebrospinal fluid polymerase chain reaction for M. pneumoniae was negative in all three patients. We propose that these cases resulted from a para-infectious immune-mediated process rather than parenchymal invasion by the microorganism. The two patients treated with steroids improved rapidly, and all three patients have made a full recovery. We review the literature regarding M. pneumoniae central nervous system complications and discuss the proposed pathologic mechanisms; para-infectious immune-mediated disease and parenchymal invasion of the central nervous system. Systematic investigation to discriminate between these two processes will be essential to select appropriate antibiotic and immunomodulatory therapies. (C) 2004 by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.