Scrub Typhus Meningoencephalitis: An Uncommon Cause of Acute Febrile Encephalopathy in the Elderly
Central nervous system infections are an uncommon cause of acute febrile encephalopathy (AFE) in the elderly. Scrub typhus meningoencephalitis is uncommon and often missed in the elderly. A 70-year-old male presented with complaints of intermittent fever, maculopapular rash, and altered sensorium. P...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Marine Medical Society |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.marinemedicalsociety.in/article.asp?issn=0975-3605;year=2022;volume=24;issue=3;spage=101;epage=103;aulast=Kesavan |
| _version_ | 1811240583799242752 |
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| author | Lekshmi V Kesavan Nair Rajani K Timmalsugur Vishal Mangal |
| author_facet | Lekshmi V Kesavan Nair Rajani K Timmalsugur Vishal Mangal |
| author_sort | Lekshmi V Kesavan Nair |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Central nervous system infections are an uncommon cause of acute febrile encephalopathy (AFE) in the elderly. Scrub typhus meningoencephalitis is uncommon and often missed in the elderly. A 70-year-old male presented with complaints of intermittent fever, maculopapular rash, and altered sensorium. Physical examination revealed fever, tachycardia, tachypnea, maculopapular rash on the trunk, and all four limbs, and an eschar on the right thigh. Initial laboratory evaluation revealed anemia, thrombocytopenia, and azotemia. The cerebrospinal fluid revealed lymphocytic pleocytosis, elevated proteins with normal glucose, and adenosine deaminase. Weil–Felix test was positive. The diagnosis of scrub typhus meningoencephalitis with acute kidney injury and atypical pneumonia was established. A prompt treatment with injection doxycycline and tablet rifampicin led to an uneventful recovery. We report the first case of scrub typhus meningoencephalitis as the cause of AFE in the elderly. This case highlights the importance of clinical examination in any febrile encephalopathy presenting in endemic areas or travelers returning from such places. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T13:22:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3d3b9a9f666e4d6a8c957dcf56efee49 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0975-3605 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T13:22:48Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Marine Medical Society |
| spelling | doaj.art-3d3b9a9f666e4d6a8c957dcf56efee492022-12-22T03:31:26ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsJournal of Marine Medical Society0975-36052022-01-0124310110310.4103/jmms.jmms_187_20Scrub Typhus Meningoencephalitis: An Uncommon Cause of Acute Febrile Encephalopathy in the ElderlyLekshmi V Kesavan NairRajani K TimmalsugurVishal MangalCentral nervous system infections are an uncommon cause of acute febrile encephalopathy (AFE) in the elderly. Scrub typhus meningoencephalitis is uncommon and often missed in the elderly. A 70-year-old male presented with complaints of intermittent fever, maculopapular rash, and altered sensorium. Physical examination revealed fever, tachycardia, tachypnea, maculopapular rash on the trunk, and all four limbs, and an eschar on the right thigh. Initial laboratory evaluation revealed anemia, thrombocytopenia, and azotemia. The cerebrospinal fluid revealed lymphocytic pleocytosis, elevated proteins with normal glucose, and adenosine deaminase. Weil–Felix test was positive. The diagnosis of scrub typhus meningoencephalitis with acute kidney injury and atypical pneumonia was established. A prompt treatment with injection doxycycline and tablet rifampicin led to an uneventful recovery. We report the first case of scrub typhus meningoencephalitis as the cause of AFE in the elderly. This case highlights the importance of clinical examination in any febrile encephalopathy presenting in endemic areas or travelers returning from such places.http://www.marinemedicalsociety.in/article.asp?issn=0975-3605;year=2022;volume=24;issue=3;spage=101;epage=103;aulast=Kesavanacute febrile encephalopathycase reportelderlymeningoencephalitisscrub typhus |
| spellingShingle | Lekshmi V Kesavan Nair Rajani K Timmalsugur Vishal Mangal Scrub Typhus Meningoencephalitis: An Uncommon Cause of Acute Febrile Encephalopathy in the Elderly Journal of Marine Medical Society acute febrile encephalopathy case report elderly meningoencephalitis scrub typhus |
| title | Scrub Typhus Meningoencephalitis: An Uncommon Cause of Acute Febrile Encephalopathy in the Elderly |
| title_full | Scrub Typhus Meningoencephalitis: An Uncommon Cause of Acute Febrile Encephalopathy in the Elderly |
| title_fullStr | Scrub Typhus Meningoencephalitis: An Uncommon Cause of Acute Febrile Encephalopathy in the Elderly |
| title_full_unstemmed | Scrub Typhus Meningoencephalitis: An Uncommon Cause of Acute Febrile Encephalopathy in the Elderly |
| title_short | Scrub Typhus Meningoencephalitis: An Uncommon Cause of Acute Febrile Encephalopathy in the Elderly |
| title_sort | scrub typhus meningoencephalitis an uncommon cause of acute febrile encephalopathy in the elderly |
| topic | acute febrile encephalopathy case report elderly meningoencephalitis scrub typhus |
| url | http://www.marinemedicalsociety.in/article.asp?issn=0975-3605;year=2022;volume=24;issue=3;spage=101;epage=103;aulast=Kesavan |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lekshmivkesavannair scrubtyphusmeningoencephalitisanuncommoncauseofacutefebrileencephalopathyintheelderly AT rajaniktimmalsugur scrubtyphusmeningoencephalitisanuncommoncauseofacutefebrileencephalopathyintheelderly AT vishalmangal scrubtyphusmeningoencephalitisanuncommoncauseofacutefebrileencephalopathyintheelderly |