A Case of Scrub Typhus Related Encephalopathy Presenting as Rapidly Progressive Dementia.
10.12779/dnd.2017.16.3.83
- Author:
Jeong Hoon PARK
1
;
Jae Won JANG
;
Seung Hwan LEE
;
Won Sup OH
;
Sam Soo KIM
Author Information
1. Department of Neurology, Kangwon National University Hospital, Chuncheon, Korea. movement@kangwon.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Case Report
- Keywords:
splenial lesion;
dementia;
scrub typhus
- MeSH:
Aged;
Brain Diseases*;
Cognition;
Dementia*;
Diffusion;
Early Diagnosis;
Female;
Humans;
Neuropsychological Tests;
Scrub Typhus*;
White Matter
- From:Dementia and Neurocognitive Disorders
2017;16(3):83-86
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: An infection known to be a major cause of mild encephalitis/encephalopathy with a reversible splenial lesion (MERS). Rapidly progressive dementia is a neurological condition in which dementia progresses in a short period of time. CASE REPORT: We report on a 78-year-old woman presenting with a rapid decline in cognitive function resulting from a scrub typhus infection. Diffusion weighted images showed a signal intensity at the splenium, and subcortical white matter of both hemispheres suggesting MERS. On the neuropsychological test, the patient showed frontal executive dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS: This case suggests that diagnosticians should consider the possibility that a MERS patient with a rapidly cognitive decline could have a scrub typhus infection because early diagnosis of scrub typhus is very important in this aspect of the treatment.
