Related Experiment Videos
[Persistent cerebellar ataxia following typhoid fever]
H Inoue1, K Nishinaka, M Urushitani
1Department of Neurology, Sumitomo Hospital.
Rinsho Shinkeigaku = Clinical Neurology
|October 1, 1995
Summary
Severe typhoid fever can lead to persistent cerebellar dysfunction, a serious neurological complication. This case highlights the potential for lasting cerebellar ataxia following the infection.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Typhoid fever, a systemic infection caused by Salmonella Typhi, can present with diverse neurological complications.
- Cerebellar dysfunction is a rare but potentially severe sequela of typhoid fever.
Observation:
- A patient developed acute cerebellar ataxia, delirium, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), and acute renal failure post-typhoid fever.
- Neurological symptoms improved, but cerebellar ataxia persisted.
- Brain MRI revealed cerebellar vermis atrophy.
- IMP-SPECT imaging demonstrated significantly reduced radioisotope uptake in the cerebellum.
Findings:
- The patient exhibited persistent cerebellar dysfunction despite recovery from acute illness.
- Imaging findings correlated with clinical presentation, indicating cerebellar compromise.
Implications:
- This case suggests that severe typhoid fever may cause enduring cerebellar dysfunction.
- Highlights the importance of recognizing and investigating neurological deficits following typhoid fever.