Meningitis determined by oligosymptomatic dengue virus type 3 infection: report of a case

C N Soares1, M J Cabral-Castro, J M Peralta

  • 1Neurology Service, Hospital Universitário Antônio Pedro/Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. cnsoares@predialnet.com.br

Insights

Dengue virus infection can cause meningitis, a rare but serious complication. This mosquito-borne illness should be considered even without typical dengue symptoms.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Virology

Background:

  • Dengue virus is a significant global health threat, prevalent in over 100 countries.
  • Neurological complications of dengue infection are well-documented, including encephalitis and Guillain-Barré syndrome.
  • Meningitis is an infrequent manifestation of dengue virus infection.

Observation:

  • A case of a 24-year-old woman presenting with meningitis symptoms (fever, headache, nuchal rigidity) was observed.
  • The patient lacked typical dengue infection symptoms.
  • Cerebrospinal fluid analysis revealed lymphocytic pleocytosis with normal glucose and negative bacterial/fungal cultures.

Findings:

  • Dengue virus infection was confirmed via positive serum dengue PCR.
  • The patient's meningitis was directly attributed to dengue virus.

Implications:

  • This case underscores dengue virus as a potential cause of meningitis, particularly in endemic regions.
  • Meningitis can be the initial clinical presentation of dengue virus infection.
  • Dengue virus should be investigated in meningitis cases, even with atypical presentations.

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