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Updated: May 5, 2026
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Induction and Clinical Scoring of Chronic-Relapsing Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis
Published on: July 4, 2007
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Postdengue Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis
Sudipto Chakraborty1, Akash Narayan2, Debabrata Chakraborty3
1DNB Trainee, Department of Internal Medicine, Apollo Multispecialty Hospitals, Kolkata, West Bengal, India, Corresponding Author.
The Journal of the Association of Physicians of India
|June 17, 2024
Summary
A patient developed acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) after dengue fever, presenting with spinal cord symptoms but brain imaging abnormalities. This case highlights ADEM without encephalitis following dengue infection.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne viral illness.
- Postinfective inflammatory processes can affect the central nervous system following viral infections.
Observation:
- A 38-year-old male presented with acute bilateral lower limb weakness, numbness, and incontinence 2 weeks post-dengue fever.
- Examination revealed paraparesis and a left upper motor neuron-type 7th cranial nerve palsy.
- Brain and spine MRI showed multiple demyelinating lesions.
Findings:
- The patient was diagnosed with postdengue acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM).
- Cerebrospinal fluid analysis excluded active infection.
- Remarkably, MRI revealed significant intracranial demyelination without clinical signs of encephalitis.
Implications:
- This case underscores the potential for ADEM to manifest with spinal cord symptoms and brain lesions, even without overt encephalitis after dengue.
- Early diagnosis and treatment with intravenous steroids are crucial for recovery.
- Further research into the neuroinflammatory mechanisms of post-dengue neurological complications is warranted.
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