The First Reported Case of West Nile Encephalitis in Korea.
10.3346/jkms.2015.30.3.343
- Author:
Jihye HWANG
1
;
Ho Sung RYU
;
Hyunjin KIM
;
Sang Ahm LEE
Author Information
1. Department of Neurology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. salee@amc.seoul.kr
- Publication Type:Case Reports
- Keywords:
West Nile Encephalitis;
West Nile Fever;
West Nile virus
- MeSH:
Antibodies, Viral/*blood;
Headache/complications;
Humans;
Interferon-alpha/*therapeutic use;
Magnetic Resonance Imaging;
Male;
Middle Aged;
Republic of Korea;
West Nile Fever/*diagnosis/*drug therapy;
West Nile virus/immunology
- From:Journal of Korean Medical Science
2015;30(3):343-345
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
West Nile encephalitis was first identified in 1937, but until now, it was never diagnosed in Korea. A 58-yr-old Korean man was admitted with headache and cognitive dysfunction. The patient had been on a business trip in Guinea. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) showed pleocytosis. The patient complained of both leg weakness,and arachnoiditis and myelitis were observed on lumbar magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A specific neutralizing antibody for West Nile virus was positive in serum. After a treatment with interferon-alpha 3mu, follow up CSF findings recovered completely after 3 months later. The first case of West Nile encephalitis in Korea was imported from Guinea, and was cured successfully.
