ABSTRACT
Abstract-Post-encephalitic parkinsonism has been well documented by now. Recently, an Indian group reported some post-encephalitic parkinsonism patients that resembled Japanese encephalitis cases with bilateral substantia nigra lesions that were detected by MRL Post-encephalitis parkinsonism has been described following Coxsackie B virus, influenza A, poliovirus and measles virus infections. The possible involvement of virus infection has also been supported by experimental animal models. We have demonstrated pathological and to a certain extent clinical features consistent with Parkinson's disease following infection of rats with Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV). We evaluated new treatments with Parkinson's disease using this model. It was reported that tremor primarily involving the fingers, tongue and eyelids, muscle rigidity and masked face as the clinical features by JEV. Recently brainstem lesions produced by West Nile virus, which is a flavivirus like JEV, were documented by MRL In the future, post-encephalitic parkinsonism may be found elsewhere in the world.
