Association of Rotavirus With Seizures Accompanied by Cerebral White Matter Injury in Neonates

We aimed to identify whether rotavirus, human parechovirus, or enterovirus are causative or associated viral pathogens of seizures accompanied by diffuse cerebral white matter injury in neonates. Thirty neonates who presented with seizures and diffusion-restriction in the widespread bilateral cerebral white matter on diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were included in this study. All patients were tested for rotavirus, human parechovirus, and enterovirus by using reverse transcription PCR. Stool, cerebrospinal fluid, and serum samples were examined in 30, 25, and 20 patients, respectively. Rotavirus was detected in stool samples from all 30 patients (100%). Stool samples from 5 patients (16.7%) were also positive for enterovirus. Rotavirus or human parechovirus were not detected in any cerebrospinal fluid samples from 25 patients, but 1 patient tested positive for enterovirus. No virus was detected in any of 20 patient sera. This study indicated an association between rotavirus and seizures accompanied by diffuse cerebral white matter lesions in neonates.