Neurological complications of varicella inflection : a clinical, electrophysiological and MRI study

Twenty three cases of neurological complications following varicella infection are reported. These include pre rash seizures (2), encephalomyelitis (12), Guillain-Barrel syndrome (GBS) (7) and cranial neuropathy (2). There were 3 cases of encephalitis form, 7 cases of cerebellar form and 2 cases of pure myelitic form of the 12 cases of encephalomyelitis. There were no distinct clinical or electrophysiological features which serve to distinguish the GBS seen in association with varicella infection from that seen in other clinical settings. Lack of white matter lesions on magnetic resonance imaging in acute cerebellar ataxia following varicella infection may suggest probably different pathogenic mechanisms in this form of encephalitis when compared to cerebral form.