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Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis following Saint Louis encephalitis virus infection

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Abstract

Saint Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV) infection is an arbovirosis associated with a broad spectrum of neurological complications. We present a case of a 55-year-old man hailing from Manaus, a city situated in the heart of the Amazon Rainforest, who exhibited symptoms of vertigo, tremors, urinary and fecal retention, compromised gait, and encephalopathy 3 weeks following SLEV infection. Neuroaxis MRI revealed diffuse, asymmetric, and poorly defined margins hyperintense lesions with peripheral and ring enhancement in subcortical white matter, as well as severe spinal cord involvement. Serology for SLEV was positive both on serum and cerebrospinal fluid. To the best of our knowledge, the present report is the first to show brain lesions along with myelitis as a post-infectious complication of SLEV infection.

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Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Data availability

September 30, 2023.

Abbreviations

ADEM:

Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis

SLEV:

Saint Louis encephalitis virus

CNS:

Central nervous system

NMOSD:

Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder

AQP4-Ab:

Aquaporin-4 antibody

MOGAD:

MOG antibody–associated disease

EDSS:

Expanded disability status scale

FLAIR:

Fluid-attenuated inversion recovery

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Albert Einstein Israelita Hospital, Av. Albert Einstein 627, São Paulo, 05620-900, Brazil

    Denison Alves Pedrosa, Lucyana Karla Lima de Paula Oliveira, Renata Bertanha, Edson Amaro Júnior, Gustavo Bruniera Peres Fernandes & Rodrigo B. Thomaz

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  1. Denison Alves Pedrosa
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  2. Lucyana Karla Lima de Paula Oliveira
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  3. Renata Bertanha
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  4. Edson Amaro Júnior
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  5. Gustavo Bruniera Peres Fernandes
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  6. Rodrigo B. Thomaz
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Denison Alves Pedrosa.

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This study involves human participants and was approved by Albert Einstein Israelita Hospital, Av. Albert Einstein 627, São Paulo, 05620–900, Brazil.

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Participants gave informed consent to participate in the study before taking part. Informed consent was obtained directly from the patient.

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Pedrosa, D.A., de Paula Oliveira, L.K.L., Bertanha, R. et al. Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis following Saint Louis encephalitis virus infection. Neurol Sci 45, 1263–1266 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-023-07246-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-023-07246-1

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