Dengue fever with encephalitis: a rare phenomenon

BMJ Case Rep. 2018 Jun 15:2018:bcr2018225463. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2018-225463.

Abstract

The clinical profile and presentation of patients with dengue fever may differ from asymptomatic infection to the dreadful complications like dengue shock syndrome. However, neurological complications are very rare. Dengue encephalitis occurs by a direct involvement of central nervous system by the dengue virus which is an extremely rare complication. A 33-year-old man presented with fever, vomiting and severe headache. He had one episode of generalised tonic-clonic seizure followed by an altered sensorium on the day of admission to the hospital. The diagnosis of dengue fever was confirmed by dengue serology (IgM) and (NS1) antigen assay. MRI brain was suggestive of encephalitis. Thus, the patient was treated symptomatically and discharged in stable condition with minimal neurological deficit.

Keywords: general practice / family medicine; infection (neurology); meningitis; tropical mkedicine (infectious disease).

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Dengue / complications
  • Dengue / diagnosis*
  • Dengue / immunology
  • Dengue Virus / immunology
  • Disease Management
  • Encephalitis, Viral / diagnosis*
  • Encephalitis, Viral / etiology
  • Encephalitis, Viral / immunology
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Viral Nonstructural Proteins / immunology

Substances

  • Viral Nonstructural Proteins