Leao, et al. (2002). Isolation of dengue 2 virus from a patient with central nervous system involvement (transverse myelitis).

[Wise Young]

• Leao RN, Oikawa T, Rosa ES, Yamaki JT, Rodrigues SG, Vasconcelos HB, Sousa MR, Tsukimata JK, Azevedo RS and Vasconcelos PF (2002). Isolation of dengue 2 virus from a patient with central nervous system involvement (transverse myelitis). Rev Soc Bras Med Trop 35:401-4. Summary: A dengue fever case is described in a 58-year-old male patient with febrile illness and thrombocytopenia complicated by neurological involvement characterized by transverse myelitis followed by weakness of both legs and flaccid paralysis. Muscle strength was much diminished and bilateral areflexia was observed. Dengue 2 (DEN-2) virus was isolated and the patient sero-converted by hemagglutination-inhibition and IgM-ELISA tests. The RT-PCR test was positive to DEN-2 in acute phase serum and culture supernatant, but negative in the cerebrospinal fluid. After three weeks of hospitalization the patient was discharged. No other infectious agent was detected in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid samples. The patient had full recovery from paralysis six months after the onset of DEN-2 infection. Departamento de Saude Comunitaria, Universidade do Estado do Para, Belem, PA, Brazil.