title: Plasmodium falciparum malaria, bilateral sixth cranial nerve palsy and delayed cerebellar ataxia.
abstract: We describe the case of a 14-year-old Caucasian male, a resident in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who was observed in Portugal with severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria with high-level parasitemia and severe thrombocytopenia. The course was complicated by bilateral sixth cranial nerve palsy during acute malaria, followed by the appearance of delayed cerebellar ataxia during the recovery phase. This occurred after successful treatment with quinine plus doxycycline over seven days. Different levels of thrombocytopenia and C-reactive protein were observed during both neurologic events in the presence of HRP-2 positive tests for Plasmodium falciparum antigen. The patient recovered completely after three months.
authors.affiliation: Serviço de Infecciosas, Hospitais da Universidade de Coimbra, EPE, Portugal. duque.vitor@gmail.com
authors.forename: Vitor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Duque
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Seixas
authors.forename: Conceição
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ventura
authors.forename: Saraiva
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Da Cunha
authors.forename: António
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meliço-Silvestre
mesh_terms: D020434:Abducens Nerve Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D000293:Adolescent; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002524:Cerebellar Ataxia / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum; D011803:Quinine / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D011803:Quinine; D004318:Doxycycline