Pathogenesis of Viral Infections of the Nervous System

IN 1936 Hurst's1 review of the pathogenesis of virus disease of the nervous system crossed the boundaries of traditional disciplines by "taking into account both the viruses and the terrain on which they manifest their activity." The concepts of neurotropism, routes of infection and selective vulnerability that he developed proved useful for many years, but recent advances in virology, anatomy and immunology make necessary a reappraisal.Viral infections of the nervous system must now be considered uncommon but important complications of systemic infections. They can no longer be explained on the basis of rare agents with a special affinity for . . .