Human African Trypanosomiasis Encephalitis in the United States: Serial Magnetic Resonance Imaging.
It is important to recognize the signs and symptoms of human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) in order to facilitate early diagnosis and treatment. A 36-year-old man developed encephalitis caused by HAT. This encephalitis can appear many years after well-tolerated systemic infection. The neurologic manifestations developed 7 years after he had emigrated from Cameroon to the United States. We demonstrate the magnetic resonance imaging before, during, and after his treatment with intravenous eflornithine. Clinical signs and symptoms of HAT can be nonspecific and precede abnormalities on magnetic resonance imaging. Human African trypanosomiasis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients who have lived in sub-Saharan Africa and have a clinical presentation of subacute encephalitis.
Department of Neurology, Medstar Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC, USA; Department of Neurology, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC, USA; Department of Neurology, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
Mary Carter
MC
Denny
Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Medstar Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC, USA.
Leon L
LL
Lai
Department of Neurology, Medstar Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC, USA; Department of Neurology, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC, USA.
Robert
R
Laureno
cerebrospinal fluid; encephalitis; magnetic resonance imaging; trypanosomiasis
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