Cerebellar involvement as a rare complication of pneumococcal meningitis.
A 4-year old girl with meningitis, caused by streptococcus pneumoniae, developed a subcoma with respiratory insufficiency, followed by a severe cerebellar syndrome. Cerebellar involvement after regaining consciousness consisted of a symmetrical ataxia and mutism. This mutism changed into dysarthria and finally into normal speech. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed lesions in both cerebellar hemispheres, suggesting cerebellitis. She recovered with prompt antibiotic treatment.
Drost
G
G
Department of Neurology, University Hospital Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Verrips
A
A
Thijssen
H O
HO
Gabreëls
D002526:Cerebellar Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000473:pathology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008586:Meningitis, Pneumococcal / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009460:Neurologic Examination