Opsoclonus Myoclonus Syndrome Secondary to Epstein-Barr Virus Infection

Abstract

We report the first two children to have the "opsoclonus myoclonus syndrome" after a serologically confirmed acute Epstein-Barr virus infection. Although opsoclonus was absent in one patient, both patients had all other features typical of this syndrome. Patients without opsoclonus have been described as having an isolated postinfectious myoclonus syndrome but probably lie within the spectrum of opsoclonus myoclonus syndrome. The prognosis for the opsoclonus myoclonus syndrome in children with Epstein-Barr virus infection and without evidence for a neuroblastoma appears to be better than in those patients where a cause cannot be identified. (J Child Neurol 1995;10:297-299).