Encephalitis after hepatitis B vaccination: recurrent disseminated encephalitis or MS?

Abstract

To describe clinical and MRI features of patients with a disease suggestive of CNS inflammation after hepatitis B vaccination. Eight patients with confirmed CNS inflammation occurring less than 10 weeks after hepatitis B vaccination are described. They received follow-up clinically and on MRI for a mean period of 18 months. Clinical and MRI findings were compatible with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis. However, clinical follow-up, repeated MRI, or both showed the persistence of inflammatory activity, which makes this encephalitis more suggestive of MS than of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis. The persistent inflammatory activity observed clinically and on MRI in these patients is comparable with that usually observed in MS. Epidemiologic studies are currently testing the hypothesis of a triggering role of hepatitis B vaccination in CNS demyelination.