Acute necrotizing hemorrhagic leukoencephalitis

Acute hemorrhagic leukoencephalitis of Weston Hurst is at the extreme end of the spectrum of demyelinating diseases. It typically follows a viral upper respiratory infection and evolves rapidly to coma and death. "Ball and ring" hemorrhages appear in the centrum semiovale of the brain, associated with mononuclear and neutrophil infiltrates, surrounded by demyelination spreading out from fibrin-filled venules. In this article, the author addresses these issues and suggests that IL-17, a cytokine that attracts neutrophils, may be important in pathogenesis.