Syndrome of transient headache and neurological deficits with cerebrospinal fluid lymphocytosis mimicking dengue encephalitis in a child.

The syndrome of transient headache and neurological deficits with cerebrospinal fluid lymphocytosis (HaNDL) has been infrequently reported in children. This condition can mimic many serious conditions of the central nervous system, while actually being benign in nature. The authors present the report of an 8 year old developmentally normal female with family and personal history of migraine, which was initially suspected to have Dengue encephalitis. She had an episode of seizures, meningism and altered sensorium. Normal mental status and physical findings were observed intermittently. Detailed evaluation including analysis of blood, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and neuroimaging were done. Neuro-infections, vascular pathology and autoimmune disorders were ruled out prior to reaching a diagnosis of HaNDL. She responded well to symptomatic treatment and made a full recovery. She was discharged on migraine prophylaxis considering her history. Dengue as causation and the occurrence of seizures in HaNDL has not been reported previously.

Meningite asséptica / Aseptic meningitis

JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: As meningites assépticas (MA) representam a grande maioria das meningites presentes em nosso meio. Os principais causadores dessa doença são os enterovírus. O quadro clínico caracteriza-se por cefaleia, fotofobia, sinais de irritação meníngea, náuseas, vômitos e febre. A grande dificuldade diagnóstica é que estes mesmos sintomas são encontrados nos quadros de meningites bacterianas, mais graves, demandando condutas mais agressivas. O objetivo deste estudo foi rever o assunto, destacando o manuseio dos casos suspeitos bem como suas etiologias e fisiopatologias. CONTEÚDO: Conceitos de MA, suas etiologias virais e não virais, incluindo àquelas causadas pela utilização de medicamentos. CONCLUSÃO: Devido às sobreposições sintomatológicas, introduziu-se empiricamente a antibioticoterapia intra-hospitalar no momento da suspeita de infecção meníngea, observando a evolução clínico-laboratorial do paciente.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The aseptic meningitis (AM) representing the vast majority of meningitis in our society. The main cause of this disease is the enteroviruses. The clinical picture is characterized by headache, photophobia, and signs of meningeal irritation, nausea, vomiting and fever. The diagnostic difficulty is that these same symptoms are found in the tables of bacterial meningitis, the most serious, demanding more aggressive treatment. This article aims to review the issue, emphasizing the management of suspected cases as well as its etiology and pathophysiology. CONTENTS: Address the concept of AM, its viral and nonviral etiologies, including those caused by medication use. CONCLUSION: Due to the overlap of the symptoms, we introduced an empirical intrahospital antibiotic treatment at the moment we suspect meningeal infection, observing the evolution of clinical and laboratory signs.

Síndrome de Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada: relato de caso / Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada´s syndrome: case report

A síndrome de Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada é uma doença inflamatória, multissistêmica, rara e autoimune contra proteínas da membrana dos melanócitos, responsáveis pela produção de melanina. Afeta, portanto, estruturas pigmentares, como retina, meninges, ouvido interno, pele e sistema nervoso central. Acomete preferencialmente, mulheres de peleescura ou miscigenadas, na quarta década de vida, e caracteriza-se por uveíte bilateral, principalmente posterior, hipoacusia neurossensorial bilateral, meningismo e alterações de pele, como vitiligo. O diagnóstico é essencialmente clínico, apoiado em achados à retinografia, ultrassonografia ocular e angiografia ocular fluoresceínica. O tratamentobaseia-se em corticoterapia precoce e agressiva, seguida de imunomoduladores, como a ciclosporina, nos casos recidivantes ou refratários. O prognóstico apresenta relação com o tempo entre o diagnóstico e o início do tratamento. As principais complicações são as oculares, como catarata, glaucoma, membrana neovascular subretiniana e fibrose subretiniana.

Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease is an inflammatory, multisystemic, rare autoimmune disease against membrane proteins of melanocytes that are responsible for the production of melanin, and therefore affect pigmented structures such as retina, meninges, inner ear, skin and central nervous system. Mainly affects women of dark skin or blended, in the 4th decade of life, and is characterized by bilateral, mainly posterior, uveitis, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, meningism and integumentary findings, such as vitiligo. The diagnostic is essencially clinical, supported byretinography, ultrasonography and fluorescein angiography. The therapy relies on early and aggressive treatment with systemic corticosteroids, followed by immunomodulatory therapy, such as cyclosporine, in relapsed or refractory cases. The prognosis is correlated with the time between diagnosis and initiation of treatment. The main complicationsare the ocular ones, such as cataract, glaucoma, subretinal neovascular membrane and subretinal fibrosis.