National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences

Acute hemorrhagic leukoencephalitis


Other Names:
AHL; AHLE
Acute hemorrhagic leukoencephalitis (AHLE) is a very rare form of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis that frequently results in death. It is characterized by a brief but intense attack of inflammation in the brain and spinal cord that damages the myelin (the protective covering of the nerve fibers). It may also cause bleeding in the brain, leading to damage of the white matter. Symptoms usually come on quickly and may include fever, neck stiffness, fatigue, headache, nausea, vomiting, seizures, and coma. AHLE has a very poor prognosis, with rapid deterioration and death usually occurring within days to one week after onset of symptoms.[1][2][3][4] Although the exact cause is unclear, AHLE usually follows a viral or bacterial infection, or less often, vaccination for measles or rabies. Some researchers think that an infection or vaccination can initiate an autoimmune process in the body thus leading to AHLE.[1][2][3] While favorable outcomes are uncommon, timely treatment with immunosuppressant medications and plasma exchange may lead to an improved outlook.[3][4]  
Last updated: 1/11/2018

If you need medical advice, you can look for doctors or other healthcare professionals who have experience with this disease. You may find these specialists through advocacy organizations, clinical trials, or articles published in medical journals. You may also want to contact a university or tertiary medical center in your area, because these centers tend to see more complex cases and have the latest technology and treatments.

If you can’t find a specialist in your local area, try contacting national or international specialists. They may be able to refer you to someone they know through conferences or research efforts. Some specialists may be willing to consult with you or your local doctors over the phone or by email if you can't travel to them for care.

You can find more tips in our guide, How to Find a Disease Specialist. We also encourage you to explore the rest of this page to find resources that can help you find specialists.

Healthcare Resources

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

In-Depth Information

  • The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.
  • Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) is a catalog of human genes and genetic disorders. Each entry has a summary of related medical articles. It is meant for health care professionals and researchers. OMIM is maintained by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. 
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Acute hemorrhagic leukoencephalitis. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

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  1. Lann MA, Lovell MA, Kleinschmidt-DeMasters BK. Acute hemorrhagic leukoencephalitis: a critical entity for forensic pathologists to recognize. Am J Forensic Med Pathol. 2010; 31(1):7-11. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20010289.
  2. Ryan LJ, Bowman R, Zantek ND, Sherr G, Maxwell R, Clark HB, Mair DC. Use of therapeutic plasma exchange in the management of acute hemorrhagic leukoencephalitis: a case report and review of the literature. Transfusion. 2007; 47(6):981-6. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17524086.
  3. Duggal N, Ahmed I, Duggal N. Acute Hemorrhagic Leukoencephalitis Associated With Autoimmune Myopathy. J Vasc Interv Neurol. 2014 Nov; 7(4):19-22. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4241410/.
  4. Khademi GR, Aelami MH. Acute Hemorrhagic Leukoencephalitis in Children: A Case Report. Iran J Med Sci. 2016 May; 41(3):245-8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4876304/.