Rapidly progressive dementia with seizures: a post-dengue complication

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Infectious Diseases
• Neuroimmunology

Background:

• Dengue virus infections are known to cause neurological complications.
• Mechanisms include direct viral invasion of nervous tissue (neurotropism) and immune responses.
• Neurological manifestations range from mild neuropathies to severe encephalitis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report a rare case of rapidly progressive dementia and seizures following dengue infection.
• To discuss the potential neurotropic and immunologic pathways involved.
• To emphasize the importance of considering dengue in the differential diagnosis of acute neurological syndromes.

Main Methods:

• Case report of a 64-year-old female patient.
• Clinical presentation and neurological examination findings.
• Diagnostic workup including infectious disease screening and neuroimaging.

Main Results:

• The patient developed progressive dementia and new-onset seizures post-dengue infection.
• Cerebrospinal fluid and imaging studies were analyzed.
• The temporal association between dengue and the neurological decline was established.

Conclusions:

• Dengue virus infection can be associated with severe and rapidly progressive neurological deterioration, including dementia and seizures.
• Both direct viral effects and immune-mediated processes may contribute to these manifestations.
• This case underscores the broad spectrum of dengue's impact on the central nervous system.