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Holla VV, Pal PK. Overview of management of infection-related movement disorders with focus on specific-infections. Clin Park Relat Disord 2024; 10:100233. [PMID: 38304096 PMCID: PMC10831291 DOI: 10.1016/j.prdoa.2024.100233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 12/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Infections are important treatable causes of secondary movement disorders (MD) that can have heterogeneous presentations. According to various studies, infection-related movement disorders (IRMD) account for around 10-20% of secondary MD. Certain infections have a predilection for causing various MD, and some MD phenomenologies, such as acute cerebellar ataxia and opsoclonus-myoclonus-ataxia syndromes (OMAS), suggest a strong possibility of an underlying infectious cause. The underlying pathophysiology is multifaceted, including direct neuronal damage due to neurotropism, granulomas, abscesses causing structural damage, and inflammatory and autoimmune responses triggered by infections. Understanding the prevalence, spectrum, and pattern of these IRMD and common infections that are responsible helps in early diagnosis, and instituting appropriate, timely treatment, thereby improving the overall prognosis and avoiding unnecessary investigations. In this review, we aim to provide a brief overview of common infections associated with MD, common clinical presentations of IRMD, their underlying pathophysiology, and overall approach to their treatment, with a focus on specific treatments of prevalent and treatable IRMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vikram V Holla
- Department of Neurology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Hosur Road, Bengaluru, 560029, Karnataka, India
| | - Pramod Kumar Pal
- Department of Neurology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Hosur Road, Bengaluru, 560029, Karnataka, India
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2
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Xiang Z, Zhou L, Pan M, Qin Y, Bai Y, Qin P, Zeng W, Wei X, Lu Y, Somboonwit C, Menezes L, Huang Y, Cui L, Yang Z. An imported malaria case with repeated episodes of neurological syndromes resulting from different Plasmodium species. BMC Infect Dis 2024; 24:41. [PMID: 38172708 PMCID: PMC10763073 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-023-08872-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Imported cerebral malaria (CM) cases in non-endemic areas are often misdiagnosed, which delays treatment. Post-malaria neurological syndrome (PMNS) after recovery from severe malaria can also complicate diagnosis. CASE We report an imported malaria case from West Africa with two sequential episodes with neurological syndromes within about a month. The first episode was diagnosed as CM with microscopy-positive Plasmodium falciparum infection. The second episode, occurring a month after the recovery from the first CM episode, was consistent with PMNS, since malaria parasites were not detected by microscopy in peripheral blood smears. However, this diagnosis was complicated by the detection of Plasmodium vivax in peripheral blood by PCR, suggesting a potential cause of the second episode by P. vivax. CONCLUSION This study suggests that PMNS often occurs after severe falciparum malaria. Concurrent P. vivax infection with pathogenic biomass being predominantly extravascular further complicates accurate diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Xiang
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan Province, China.
| | - Longcan Zhou
- Shanglin County People's Hospital, Shanglin, Guangxi, China
| | - Maohua Pan
- Shanglin County People's Hospital, Shanglin, Guangxi, China
| | - Yucheng Qin
- Shanglin County People's Hospital, Shanglin, Guangxi, China
| | - Yao Bai
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan Province, China
| | - Pien Qin
- Shanglin County People's Hospital, Shanglin, Guangxi, China
| | - Weilin Zeng
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan Province, China
| | - Xiaosheng Wei
- Shanglin County People's Hospital, Shanglin, Guangxi, China
| | - Yuxin Lu
- Shanglin County People's Hospital, Shanglin, Guangxi, China
| | - Charurut Somboonwit
- Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, 3720 Spectrum Boulevard, Suite 304, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA
| | - Lynette Menezes
- Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, 3720 Spectrum Boulevard, Suite 304, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA
| | - Yaming Huang
- Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
| | - Liwang Cui
- Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, 3720 Spectrum Boulevard, Suite 304, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA.
| | - Zhaoqing Yang
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan Province, China.
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3
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Lee JS, Kim S, Ha J, Youn J, Cho JW, Ahn JH. A Case of Post-Malaria Neurological Syndrome Presenting With Cortical Tremor. J Mov Disord 2024; 17:115-117. [PMID: 37914527 PMCID: PMC10846977 DOI: 10.14802/jmd.23164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jun Seok Lee
- Department of Neurology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Neuroscience Center, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
| | - Seongmi Kim
- Department of Neurology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Neuroscience Center, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jongmok Ha
- Department of Neurology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Neuroscience Center, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jinyoung Youn
- Department of Neurology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Neuroscience Center, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jin Whan Cho
- Department of Neurology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Neuroscience Center, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jong Hyeon Ahn
- Department of Neurology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Neuroscience Center, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
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Alawad MJ, Almayoof M, Al Bozom A, Alkhidir T, Emam SS, Farfar K. Post-malaria neurological syndrome (PMNS): a rare case report with brain biopsy findings. BMC Infect Dis 2023; 23:886. [PMID: 38114951 PMCID: PMC10729502 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-023-08704-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Post-malaria neurological syndrome (PMNS) is a rare, self-limiting condition that presents with a wide range of neurological manifestations after clearance of malarial infection, especially 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘮𝘰𝘥𝘪𝘶𝘮 f𝘢𝘭𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘶𝘮, most patients recover without residual deficits. Here we present a case of a 29-year-old, male with a recent history of malaria treated successfully, who presented due to a generalized tonic-clonic seizure, without any other neurological symptoms, the examination and labs were unremarkable, he underwent a computer tomography (CT) scan and Magnetic resonant imaging (MRI) which both showed two areas of vasogenic edema involving the subcortical white matter of left frontal and right posterior parasagittal regions, all autoimmune screens, infection workup from blood and CSF were negative, he underwent a brain biopsy that showed intense perivascular inflammation with neuronal loss and gliosis, findings are nonspecific and can be seen in a variety of condition. The patient's condition improved, and he was discharged without any complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mouhammad J Alawad
- Department of Medical Education, Internal Medicine Residency Program, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, 3050, Qatar.
| | - Moustafa Almayoof
- Department of Medical Education, Internal Medicine Residency Program, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, 3050, Qatar
| | - Adel Al Bozom
- Department of Medical Education, Internal Medicine Residency Program, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, 3050, Qatar
| | - Taha Alkhidir
- Department of Medicine, Division of Neurology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Saeed S Emam
- Department of clinical radiology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Khalifa Farfar
- Department of Medicine, Al Wakra hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
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5
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Ekeh BC, Bah E, Jobe YFBM, Daboer AF, Gomez M, Lanlokun RA. Post-malarial neurological syndrome in a Gambian adult residing in the Gambia: a case report and a review of literature. Malar J 2023; 22:153. [PMID: 37173726 PMCID: PMC10182665 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-023-04579-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Post malarial neurological syndrome (PMNS) occurs as a sequel of cerebral malaria which is the most deadly form of severe malaria. In holo-endemic regions (areas of high malarial transmission) all forms of severe malaria as well as cerebral malaria usually occur in children and those who are semi or non-immune like pregnant women, migrants as well as tourists. It also occurs in hypo-endemic regions (areas of limited malarial transmission with low immunity) and malaria- free zones. Survivors however may have neurologic complications after recovery. PMNS has been reported in many parts of the world. Being a sequel to cerebral malaria, it is uncommon in adults who were born and reside in a holo-endemic region all their lives. CASE REPORT This is the case of an 18 year old Gambian who has lived in The Gambia all his life that had PMNS five days after recovery from cerebral malaria. METHODS This was a predominantly web based literature search. The search comprise all case reports, original articles and reviews on PMNS or neurological deficits associated with malaria or noted after malaria infection. The search engines used were Google, Yahoo and Google scholar. RESULTS A total of 62 papers were found. These were used for this review of the literature. CONCLUSION Cerebral malaria also occurs in adults in holo-endemic areas though rare and some of the survivors may develop PMNS. It is commoner in the youth age group. There is need for further studies since the youth may be a possible new 'vulnerable group' in holoendemic areas. This may lead to the widening the targeted group for malaria control in the regions of high malarial transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bertha C Ekeh
- Department of Internal Medicine, Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital, Banjul, The Gambia.
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Uyo, Uyo, Nigeria.
| | - Ebrima Bah
- Department of Internal Medicine, Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Ya Fatou B M Jobe
- Department of Internal Medicine, Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Aji F Daboer
- Department of Internal Medicine, Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Mariama Gomez
- Department of Internal Medicine, Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Ridhwan A Lanlokun
- Department of Internal Medicine, Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital, Banjul, The Gambia
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Garrido-Cardenas JA, González-Cerón L, García-Maroto F, Cebrián-Carmona J, Manzano-Agugliaro F, Mesa-Valle CM. Analysis of Fifty Years of Severe Malaria Worldwide Research. Pathogens 2023; 12:pathogens12030373. [PMID: 36986296 PMCID: PMC10057704 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12030373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
This study analyzed fifty years of severe malaria research worldwide. Malaria is a parasitic disease that continues to have a significant impact on global health, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Severe malaria, a severe and often fatal form of the disease, is a major public health concern. The study used different bibliometric indicators such as the number of publications, citations, authorship, and keywords to analyze the research trends, patterns, and progress made in the field of severe malaria. The study covers the period from 1974 to 2021 and includes articles from Scopus. The results of the study indicated that there has been a steady increase in the number of publications on severe malaria over the past fifty years, with a particular increase in the last decade. The study also showed that most of the publications are from USA and Europe, while the disease occurs in Africa, South-East Asia, and the Americas. The study also identified the most frequent keywords used in the publications, and the most influential journals and authors in the field. In conclusion, this bibliometric study provides a comprehensive overview of the research trends and patterns in the field of severe malaria over the past fifty years and highlights the areas that need more attention and research efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lilia González-Cerón
- Regional Center for Public Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Tapachula 30700, Chiapas, Mexico
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW To discuss the neurological complications and pathophysiology of organ damage following malaria infection. RECENT FINDINGS The principal advancement made in malaria research has been a better understanding of the pathogenesis of cerebral malaria (CM), the most dreaded neurological complication generally caused by Plasmodium falciparum infection. However, no definitive treatment has yet been evolved other than the use of antimalarial drugs and supportive care. The development of severe cerebral edema in CM results from two distinct pathophysiologic mechanisms. First, the development of "sticky" red blood cells (RBCs) leads to cytoadherence, where red blood cells (RBCs) get stuck to the endothelial walls and between themselves, resulting in clogging of the brain microvasculature with resultant hypoxemia and cerebral edema. In addition, the P. falciparum-infected erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1) molecules protrude from the raised knob structures on the RBCs walls and are in themselves made of a combination of human and parasite proteins in a tight complex. Antibodies to surfins, rifins, and stevors from the parasite are also located in the RBC membrane. On the human microvascular side, a range of molecules involved in host-parasite interactions, including CD36 and intracellular adhesion molecule 1, is activated during interaction with other molecules such as endothelial protein C receptor and thrombospondin. As a result, an inflammatory response occurs with the dysregulated release of cytokines (TNF, interleukins 1 and 10) which damage the blood-brain barrier (BBB), causing plasma leakage and brain edema. This second mechanism of CNS injury often involves multiple organs in adult patients in endemic areas but remains localized only to the central nervous system (CNS) among African children. Neurological sequelae may follow both P. falciparum and P. vivax infections. The major brain pathology of CM is brain edema with diffuse brain swelling resulting from the combined effects of reduced perfusion and hypoxemia of cerebral neurons due to blockage of the microvasculature by parasitized RBCs as well as the neurotoxic effect of released cytokines from a hyper-acute immune host reaction. A plethora of additional neurological manifestations have been associated with malaria, including posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES), reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS), malarial retinopathy, post-malarial neurological syndrome (PMNS), acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM), Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), and cerebellar ataxia. Lastly, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on worldwide malaria control programs and the possible threat from co-infections is briefly discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sweety Trivedi
- Department of Neurology, Sanjay Gandhi Post-graduate Institute of Medical Science, Lucknow, India
| | - Ambar Chakravarty
- Department of Neurology, Vivekananda Institute of Medical Science, Kolkata, India.
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8
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Agarwal N. Post-malaria neurological syndrome manifesting as new onset psychosis with generalized encephalopathy: an analysis of two cases in children. Trop Doct 2021; 52:168-170. [PMID: 34918609 DOI: 10.1177/00494755211055365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Post-malaria neurological syndrome(PMNS) is a rare heterogenous syndrome heralded by the appearance of new neurological or psychiatric manifestations emerging in the post-infectious phase after clearance of malaria parasitaemia. Most cases of PMNS have been described in adults. Only seven cases have been reported in children. We describe two further cases of possible PMNS who presented with prominent psychiatric manifestations evolving into generalized encephalopathy after complete recovery from malaria. Both patients were treated with antivirals and antibiotics without clinical improvement. One patient received pulse corticosteroids and had a remarkable and rapid clinical improvement. The other recovered without specific treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neha Agarwal
- Department of Pediatrics, 30076GSVM Medical College, Kanpur, India
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9
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Mohanty S, Sahu PK, Pattnaik R, Majhi M, Maharana S, Bage J, Mohanty A, Mohanty A, Bendszus M, Patterson C, Gupta H, Dondorp AM, Pirpamer L, Hoffmann A, Wassmer SC. Evidence of Brain Alterations in Noncerebral Falciparum Malaria. Clin Infect Dis 2021; 75:11-18. [PMID: 34905777 PMCID: PMC9402700 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciab907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cerebral malaria in adults is associated with brain hypoxic changes on magnetic resonance (MR) images and has a high fatality rate. Findings of neuroimaging studies suggest that brain involvement also occurs in patients with uncomplicated malaria (UM) or severe noncerebral malaria (SNCM) without coma, but such features were never rigorously characterized. METHODS Twenty patients with UM and 21 with SNCM underwent MR imaging on admission and 44-72 hours later, as well as plasma analysis. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps were generated, with values from 5 healthy individuals serving as controls. RESULTS Patients with SNCM had a wide spectrum of cerebral ADC values, including both decreased and increased values compared with controls. Patients with low ADC values, indicating cytotoxic edema, showed hypoxic patterns similar to cerebral malaria despite the absence of deep coma. Conversely, high ADC values, indicative of mild vasogenic edema, were observed in both patients with SNCM and patients with UM. Brain involvement was confirmed by elevated circulating levels of S100B. Creatinine was negatively correlated with ADC in SNCM, suggesting an association between acute kidney injury and cytotoxic brain changes. CONCLUSIONS Brain involvement is common in adults with SNCM and a subgroup of hospitalized patients with UM, which warrants closer neurological follow-up. Increased creatinine in SNCM may render the brain more susceptible to cytotoxic edema.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjib Mohanty
- Center for the Study of Complex Malaria in India, Ispat General Hospital, Rourkela, Odisha, India
| | - Praveen K Sahu
- Center for the Study of Complex Malaria in India, Ispat General Hospital, Rourkela, Odisha, India
| | | | - Megharay Majhi
- Department of Radiology, Ispat General Hospital, Rourkela, Odisha, India
| | - Sameer Maharana
- Center for the Study of Complex Malaria in India, Ispat General Hospital, Rourkela, Odisha, India
| | - Jabamani Bage
- Center for the Study of Complex Malaria in India, Ispat General Hospital, Rourkela, Odisha, India
| | - Akshaya Mohanty
- Infectious Diseases Biology Unit, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
| | - Anita Mohanty
- Department of Intensive Care, Ispat General Hospital, Rourkela, Odisha, India
| | - Martin Bendszus
- Department of Neuroradiology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Catriona Patterson
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Himanshu Gupta
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Arjen M Dondorp
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Centre for Tropical Medicine & Global Health, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Lukas Pirpamer
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Angelika Hoffmann
- Department of Neuroradiology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,University Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, University Hospital Bern, Inselspital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Samuel C Wassmer
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
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10
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Aggarwal A, Adukia S, Bhatt M. Video Anthology of Movement Disorders Due to Infections in South Asia. Mov Disord Clin Pract 2021; 8:843-858. [PMID: 34405094 DOI: 10.1002/mdc3.13275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 05/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
South Asia, encompassing many populous countries including India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, is home to a wide variety of infectious diseases several of which are disproportionately prevalent, endemic or distinctive to the region. These result in considerable morbidity and mortality, which can be greatly reduced through public-health measures, timely diagnosis and treatment. Some of these infectious diseases have neurological manifestations including movement disorders either due to the pathogen being neuroinvasive or via an immune-mediated response. For diseases such as Japanese encephalitis, movement disorders are the primary manifestation while for others, they can be a presenting feature. Thus, recognizing these movement disorders is often crucial to the diagnosis of the particular infection, and/or to exclude infection as a cause and arrive at the correct alternate diagnosis. Once diagnosed, the infection-related movement disorders are treated by targeting the infectious agent, or symptomatically. In this article, we describe and illustrate a variety of movement disorders that are seen in patients infected by viruses, bacteria and parasites in South Asia. This would be of value to neurologists practicing in the region and, with the increasing ease in movement of people and pathogens, those practicing elsewhere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annu Aggarwal
- Movement Disorder Clinic, Department of Neurosciences Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital and Medical Research Institute Mumbai India
| | - Sachin Adukia
- Movement Disorder Clinic, Department of Neurosciences Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital and Medical Research Institute Mumbai India
| | - Mohit Bhatt
- Movement Disorder Clinic, Department of Neurosciences Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital and Medical Research Institute Mumbai India
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Bellazreg F, Slama D, Ben Lasfar N, Abid M, Zaghouani H, Rouis S, Hachfi W, Letaief A. Neurological manifestations following cured malaria: don't forget post-malaria neurological syndrome. Afr Health Sci 2021; 21:273-276. [PMID: 34394307 PMCID: PMC8356585 DOI: 10.4314/ahs.v21i1.35] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Cerebral malaria which occurs during the active infection is the most common neurological complication of malaria. Other complications including post-malaria neurological syndrome (PMNS) can rarely occur following complete recovery from the disease. We report a case of post-malaria neurological syndrome in a Tunisian patient. Case presentation A 26-year-old Tunisian man with no past medical history was admitted in 2016 for a muscle weakness of the 4 limbs, seizures, tetraparesis and myoclonus which appeared after he returned from Côte d'Ivoire where he had been treated three weeks ago for Plasmodium falciparum malaria with favorable outcome. Blood smears for malaria were negative. Brain MRI showed multiple hypersignal cerebral lesions. Investigations didn't show any infectious, metabolic, toxic, vascular or tumoral etiology. Thus, the diagnosis of PMNS was considered. The patient was treated with methylprednisolone with favorable outcome. Two years later, he was completely asymptomatic. Conclusion PMNS should be considered in patients with neurological symptoms occurring within two months of cured acute disease in which blood smears for malaria are negative and other etiologies have been ruled out. In most cases, the disease is self-limited while in severe cases corticosteroid therapy should be prescribed with favorable outcome.
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12
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Brasher WP, Bvumbwe M, Kazembe PN. Infection or drug toxicity? Acute ataxia and encephalopathy after uncomplicated falciparum malaria and efavirenz dose adjustment. Malawi Med J 2020; 32:229-231. [PMID: 34457209 PMCID: PMC8364792 DOI: 10.4314/mmj.v32i4.9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Acute ataxia in children is a rare clinical syndrome usually caused by an infectious, post-infectious, or toxin-related aetiology. Although infrequent, acute ataxia can be related to more common diseases and treatments in Southern African countries including side effects of efavirenz-based anti-retroviral therapy (ART) for HIV or the post-malaria neurologic syndrome (PMNS) after infection with falciparum malaria. We describe a case from Lilongwe, Malawi of a 16-year-old HIV-positive patient with viral load suppression who presented with acute ataxia, confusion, and diplopia. Although he was on efavirenz-based ART for many years, his dose was increased 6 weeks prior, and he was treated for uncomplicated falciparum malaria 5 weeks prior with resolution of symptoms. Studies including cerebrospinal fluid analyses were normal, and he had rapid improvement of symptoms following discontinuation of efavirenz-based ART. Several case series have described supratherapeutic levels of efavirenz leading to acute ataxia as well as the self-limiting PMNS after non-complicated falciparum malaria. Though rare, recognition of efavirenz and PMNS as causes of ataxia is important to inform prompt treatment for HIV patients with acute ataxia in Malawi and other similar settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- William P Brasher
- Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA, Baylor College of Medicine Children's Foundation Malawi, Lilongwe, Malawi
| | - Menard Bvumbwe
- Baylor College of Medicine Children's Foundation Malawi, Lilongwe, Malawi
| | - Peter N Kazembe
- Baylor College of Medicine Children's Foundation Malawi, Lilongwe, Malawi
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13
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Castaldo N, Tascini C, Della Siega P, Peghin M, Pecori D. Clinical presentation and immunological features of Post-Malaria Neurologic Syndrome: a case report and review of literature. Malar J 2020; 19:419. [PMID: 33228672 PMCID: PMC7681770 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-020-03476-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2020] [Accepted: 10/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Malaria still represents a major health threat, in terms of both morbidity and mortality. Complications of malaria present a diversified clinical spectrum, with neurological involvement leading to the most serious related-conditions. The authors recently encountered a case of a 60-year old Italian man presenting with confusion, language disturbances and Parkinson-like syndrome 3 weeks after complete remission from severe Plasmodium falciparum cerebral malaria. Chemical and microbiological analysis revealed aseptic meningitis, diffuse encephalitis and abnormal immune-activation. Re-infection and recrudescence of infection were excluded. Further analysis excluded paraneoplastic and autoimmune causes of encephalitis. A diagnosis of Post-Malaria Neurological Syndrome (PMNS) was finally formulated and successfully treated with high dose of steroids. Methods A systematic research of current literature related to PMNS was performed. Results 151 cases of PMNS were included, the majority of which occurred after severe P. falciparum infections. Four main clinical pattern were identified: 37% of the cases presented as “classical” PMNS, 36% presented as delayed cerebellar ataxia (DCA), 18% resembled acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (AIDP), and 8% presented as acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM)-like form. Differentiation between different forms was not always simple, as clinical and radiological findings frequently overlap. Overall, in almost all of the tested cases, cerebrospinal fluid was found pathological; EEG revealed nonspecific encephalopathy in 30% of classical PMNS and 67% ADEM; imaging tests were found abnormal in 92% of ADEM-like forms. Pathogenesis remains unclear. An autoimmune mechanism is the most corroborated pathogenic hypothesis. Overall, the majority of PMNS cases revert without specific treatment. In most severe forms, high dose steroids, intravenous immunoglobulins, and plasmapheresis have been shown to improve symptoms. Conclusions PMNS is a disabling complication of malaria. The overall incidence is not known, due to frequent misdiagnosis and under-reporting. Pathogenesis is not also fully understood, but rapid response to immune-modulating treatment along with similarities to auto-immune neurological disease, strongly support a dysregulated immunological genesis of this condition. The lack of randomized controlled studies regarding therapeutic approaches is a major unmet need in this setting. A systematic collection of all the PMNS cases would be desirable, in order to increase awareness of this rare condition and to prospectively investigate the most appropriate management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Castaldo
- Infectious Diseases Division, Department of Medicine, University of Udine and Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Integrata Di Udine, 33100, Udine, Italy
| | - Carlo Tascini
- Infectious Diseases Division, Department of Medicine, University of Udine and Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Integrata Di Udine, 33100, Udine, Italy
| | - Paola Della Siega
- Infectious Diseases Division, Department of Medicine, University of Udine and Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Integrata Di Udine, 33100, Udine, Italy
| | - Maddalena Peghin
- Infectious Diseases Division, Department of Medicine, University of Udine and Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Integrata Di Udine, 33100, Udine, Italy
| | - Davide Pecori
- Infectious Diseases Division, Department of Medicine, University of Udine and Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Integrata Di Udine, 33100, Udine, Italy.
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14
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A Case of Postmalaria Neurologic Syndrome and Pediatric Literature Review. Pediatr Infect Dis J 2020; 39:e325-e327. [PMID: 32932335 DOI: 10.1097/inf.0000000000002803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Postmalaria neurologic syndrome is an under-recognized self-resolving acute neuropsychiatric condition, usually occurring after complete recovery from malaria. We describe the case of a 7-year-old child who presented with an afebrile lymphocytic meningoencephalitis. The notion of a previously treated malaria episode and the absence of malaria during current episode led us postmalaria neurologic syndrome diagnosis with secondary spontaneous outcome.
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15
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Panda PK, Sharawat IK, Panda PK. Case Report: An Adolescent Girl with Isolated Neuropsychiatric Features and Apparent Post-Malaria Neurological Syndrome. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2020; 102:1030-1032. [PMID: 32067632 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.19-0791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
The post-malaria neurological syndrome (PMNS) is an unusual and relatively underreported complication of malaria, which usually occurs after the resolution of acute febrile illness and the patient is free from parasitemia. The clinical spectrum of the PMNS varies from acute-onset cerebellar ataxia to significant encephalopathy with focal deficits resembling acute disseminated encephalomyelitis. Uncommon presentations of PMNS include Guillain-Barre syndrome, postural tremor, or even isolated neuropsychiatric features. Although in a significant proportion of PMNS cases clinical resolution occurs with conservative treatment only, corticosteroids have been used in an attempt to hasten recoveries. Here, we present a case of a 12-year-old girl with acute onset, isolated neuropsychiatric features, following Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Neuroimaging, clinical examination, and cerebrospinal fluid studies were within normal limits. The child recovered completely after treatment with methylprednisolone pulse therapy. This case report illustrates the need for creating awareness about this uncommon complication of malaria. In view of the uncommon complication, early diagnosis and prompt treatment might help in the early resolution of symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prateek Kumar Panda
- Pediatric Neurology Division, Department of Pediatrics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh, India
| | - Indar Kumar Sharawat
- Pediatric Neurology Division, Department of Pediatrics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh, India
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