BACKGROUND Sydenham's chorea is the neurologic manifestation of rheumatic fever and is a diagnosis of exclusion requiring only the presence of frank chorea in the absence of another neurologic disorder. Two thirds of children with Sydenham's chorea also have rheumatic carditis (pathologic mitral valve regurgitation). Although there are similar neuropsychiatric symptoms and preceding group A bet...

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and related conditions including Tourette's disorder (TD) are chronic, relapsing disorders of unknown etiology associated with marked impairment and disability. Associated immune dysfunction has been reported and debated in the literature since the late 80s. The immunologic culprit receiving the most interest has been Group A Streptococcus (GAS), which began ...

PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal infections) syndrome is a disorder that presents itself before adolescence with an abrupt onset of obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms and/or tics. This disorder is related to Group A streptococcal (GAS) infection with neurological findings, such as motor hyperactivity and choreiform movements. The progress...

Tourette's syndrome (TS) is a disorder characterized by simple and complex motor tics, vocal tics, and frequently obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Its onset occurs before the age of 21. Typically, TS shows a waxing and waning course, but a chronification of the tics, even during later life, is often observed. TS mainly occurs in boys, and shows genetic heritability with differing penetrance. The ...

OBJECTIVE This article outlines the consensus guidelines for symptomatic treatment for children with Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS) and Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Syndrome Associated with Streptococcal Infection (PANDAS). METHODS Extant literature on behavioral, psychotherapeutic, and psychopharmacologic treatments for PANS and PANDAS was reviewed. Members o...

OBJECTIVE To determine whether group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal infections increase the risk of developing symptoms characteristic of the diagnosis pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections (PANDAS). DESIGN Prospective cohort study. METHODS Children (N = 814) aged 4 to 11 years seen for sore throat or well-child care in a large pediatric pr...

OBJECTIVE To provide preliminary estimates of the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) in treating pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) of the pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcus (PANDAS) subtype. METHOD Seven children with OCD of the PANDAS subtype (range 9-13 years) were treated in a 3-week intensive CBT program conducted at ...

The pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections (PANDAS) are basically characterized by obsessive-compulsive symptoms and/or tics triggered by group-A beta-hemolytic Streptococcus infections. Poor data are available about the clear definition of PANDAS's autoimmune origin. The aim of our study was to evaluate the prevalence of autoimmune phenomena, i...