Neurological aspects of the dengue infection in Brazilian patients during the DENV3 epidemicas

ABSTRACT

The dengues ia an acute febrile illness of benign course in the classical or dengue fever (DF) clinical form, however it could develop the dengue hemoohagic fever (DHF)and dengue shock syndrome, which are the most severe clinical forms. Neurological manifestations associated with dengue are known since the beginning of the past century. With the reemergence of dengue after the World War II more emphasis has been given to the DHF ignoring the neurological complications. Nevertheless, an elevated number of cases of FD associated with encephalopaties and encephalitis has been reported worldwide. During the dengue epidemics in two Brazilian states Ceará (1994) and Pernambuco (1997) dengue cases with neurological complications were reported. The lack of knowledge about this clinical form of the disease hampers an efficiente control strategy and treatment management. a iming highlight the clinical and laboratorial aspects involved in the dengue with neurological symptoms we reported 31 cases of dengue with neurological manifestations during the epidemics of DENV 3 in Recife, Brazil. The following neurological manifestations were observed Guillain-Barré Syndrome, encephalitis, myelitis, ADEM, facial paralysis of the VII nerve, convulsion and encephalopaties. Clinical, epidemiological and laboratorial aspects are discussed