Fig. 2: Neurological imaging of the patients.

a Case 4, survival, 190 h after symptoms, MRI appeared with multiple edema lesions, including bilateral para-ventricular, basal ganglia, frontal, parietal, occipital, cerebellum and brain stem. b Case 14, survival, 10d after symptoms, MRI appeared with multiple lesions of cells edema, including left temporal lobe, bilateral ventricles, and semi-oval center. c Case 20(C1–C2), Case 36(C3–C5), all survived. Head CT and MRI showed symmetrical concentric circle lesions of bilateral thalamus in the early stage of disease. d Case 23, dead, 22 h after symptoms, CT scan showed brain parenchymal density decreased, the border between gray and white tissues was not clear, and a few spot-like high-density shadows were seen in bilateral brain; cerebral sulcus, cerebral fissure and cistern were narrowed; brain stem thickened, foramen magnum hernia was suspected. e Case 37, survival, 15 h after symptoms, MRI showed cerebral cortex extensively edema, bilateral basal ganglia and thalamic region swelling, bilateral ventricle enlarged. f Case 24, survival, F1–F2(40 h after symptoms), CT showed multiple low-density shadows in bilateral thalamus, lateral ventricle and left semi-oval center; F3–F4(6d after symptoms) MRI showed multiple lesions in bilateral thalamus and left frontal and parietal lobes; F5–F6(28d after symptoms) MRI showed some severe lesions forming a softening site. g Case 39, survival, 27 h after symptoms, MRI showed brain cortical diffused edema, bilateral basal ganglia and thalamic regions swelling.