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Dengue cerebellitis in middle childhood from South India

Venkatesh Kumar Balan1, Sarala Premkumar2, Elayaraja Sivaprakasam2

  • 1Paediatric Medicine, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai, India drvk@sriramachandra.edu.in.

BMJ Case Reports
|July 4, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Dengue fever can rarely cause cerebellitis, a rare neurological complication. Prompt diagnosis and supportive care led to a full recovery in a pediatric patient.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Dengue fever is a common arboviral illness in tropical regions.
  • Neurological manifestations of dengue fever are infrequent but can be severe.
  • Cerebellitis, inflammation of the cerebellum, is a rare complication of dengue infection.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To report a rare case of dengue-associated cerebellitis in a child.
  • To highlight the importance of considering atypical presentations of dengue fever.
  • To emphasize the role of timely diagnosis in managing neurological complications of dengue.

Main Methods:

  • A case study of a middle childhood girl presenting with symptoms suggestive of dengue fever.
  • Clinical examination including funduscopy and neuroimaging (MRI brain) were performed.
  • Laboratory investigations including dengue IgM antibody testing, liver function tests, and ferritin levels were conducted.

Main Results:

  • The patient presented with prolonged fever, vomiting, abdominal pain, and signs of shock.
  • Neurological signs including nystagmus, diplopia, dizziness, and papilledema developed.
  • MRI revealed cerebellar hyperintensity consistent with cerebellitis; dengue IgM was positive.
  • The patient recovered with supportive care and anti-edema measures.

Conclusions:

  • Dengue fever can present with rare neurological complications such as cerebellitis.
  • Early recognition and management of cerebellitis in dengue are crucial for favorable outcomes.
  • This case underscores the diverse clinical spectrum of dengue virus infection.

Keywords:
Infection (neurology)PediatricsTropical medicine (infectious disease)

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