Encephalitis and polyradiculoneuritis following rubella virus infection--a case report

Amongst neurological complications of rubella virus infection, polyradiculoneuritis as well as encephalitis is very rare. Only one case of postrubella polyradiculoneuritis combined with encephalitis has been reported to our knowledge. A 17-years-old male presented with suspected meningoencephalitis in a recent epidemic of rubella in a southern district of Korea. He developed symmetrical hyporeflexic weakness of all four extremities with urinary disturbance several days later. Rubella IgM antibody titer (enzyme linked immunosorbent assay) was 58 AU/mL in serum and 12 AU/mL in cerebrospinal fluid. Electrophysiologic studies showed peripheral polyradiculoneuropathy with multifocal conduction block. Considering the involvement of the central nerve as well as the peripheral nerve in an adult patient, this case is thought to be valuable in view of the pathophysiology of neurologic complication in rubella virus infection.