Clinical manifestations and outcome of patients with severe eosinophilic meningoencephalitis presumably caused by Angiostrongylus cantonensis

Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health. 2002 Jun;33(2):231-4.

Abstract

The clinical manifestations and outcome of patients with severe eosinophilic meningoencephalitis has never been reported. We reported 11 comatose patients with eosinophilic meningoencephalitis. Most of them presented with subacute to chronic headache and fever, followed by acute coma. Cerebrospinal fluid abnormalities were similar to alert patients with eosinophilic meningitis. None of them had received antihelmintic drug and seven patients were treated with corticosteroids. Ten patients died and one patient is still in a coma. Corticosteroids seem to be ineffective in severe eosinophilic meningitis.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Angiostrongylus cantonensis / isolation & purification*
  • Animals
  • Dexamethasone / therapeutic use
  • Eosinophilia / drug therapy*
  • Eosinophilia / parasitology
  • Eosinophilia / pathology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Meningoencephalitis / drug therapy*
  • Meningoencephalitis / parasitology
  • Meningoencephalitis / pathology*
  • Middle Aged
  • Prednisolone / therapeutic use
  • Strongylida Infections / drug therapy*
  • Strongylida Infections / parasitology
  • Strongylida Infections / pathology*
  • Thailand

Substances

  • Dexamethasone
  • Prednisolone