Basal Ganglia Injury With Extrapyramidal Presentation: A Complication of Meningococcal Meningitis

Basal ganglia injury, accompanied by extrapyramidal signs, has been described in the setting of chronic tuberculous meningitis; however, such injury rarely occurs in acute bacterial meningitis and has never been reported with meningococcal meningitis. We report the case of a boy who developed tongue bradykinesia and dysarthria 1 week following presentation with meningococcal meningitis. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed bilateral basal ganglia lesions, suspected to result from cytotoxic edema secondary to infection. The patient subsequently developed general bradykinesia, choreoathetosis, and ataxia, which had improved but not completely subsided by the time of discharge, 8 weeks following initial presentation. The purpose of this report is to present basal ganglia injury with extrapyramidal signs as a possible complication of meningococcal meningitis. Furthermore, we emphasize the importance of suspecting parkinsonian signs as early indicators of basal ganglia involvement in the setting of meningitis, which may later develop into a full-blown movement disorder.