Concurrent hospitalization of a married couple presenting with distinct symptoms but diagnosed with a life-threatening infectious disease

ABSTRACT

ABSTRACT We described the cases of a married couple hospitalized for distinct symptoms and developed a neuroparalytic syndrome with rapid progression. In Case 1, a 75-year-old woman was admitted for abdominal pain, diarrhea, and blurred vision. The patient developed acute respiratory failure, ptosis, and ophthalmoplegia. She died on day 15 because of an acute abdomen. In Case 2, her husband, a 71-year-old man, was admitted for diplopia. The patient developed abdominal distension and slurred speech. Later, he developed bilateral ptosis, ophthalmoparesis, and mydriasis. Botulism was suspected, and both patients received botulinum antitoxin. Our male patient survived but underwent prolonged rehabilitation.