The first reported case of West Nile encephalitis in Korea.
West Nile encephalitis was first identified in 1937, but until now, it was never diagnosed in Korea. A 58-yr-old Korean man was admitted with headache and cognitive dysfunction. The patient had been on a business trip in Guinea. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) showed pleocytosis. The patient complained of both leg weakness,and arachnoiditis and myelitis were observed on lumbar magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A specific neutralizing antibody for West Nile virus was positive in serum. After a treatment with interferon-α 3mu, follow up CSF findings recovered completely after 3 months later. The first case of West Nile encephalitis in Korea was imported from Guinea, and was cured successfully.
Department of Neurology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Jihye
0000-0002-8736-6309
J
Hwang
Department of Neurology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Ho-Sung
0000-0001-7582-4731
HS
Ryu
Department of Neurology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Hyunjin
0000-0003-0264-4531
H
Kim
Department of Neurology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Sang-Ahm
SA
Lee
D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D006261:Headache / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D056910:Republic of Korea; D014901:West Nile Fever / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014902:West Nile virus / Q000276:immunology
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D016898:Interferon-alpha
West Nile Encephalitis; West Nile Fever; West Nile virus