A Seasonal Cause of Encephalitis: Influenza Virus A (H3N1) Infection
  • Rúben Reis
    Internal Medicine Department, Centro Hospitalar Barreiro-Montijo, Barreiro, Portugal
  • Francisco Adragão
    Internal Medicine Department, Centro Hospitalar do Algarve, Algarve, Portugal
  • Catarina Parente
    Internal Medicine Department, Centro Hospitalar Barreiro-Montijo, Barreiro, Portugal
  • Inês Nunes
    Intensive Care Unit, Hospital de Cascais, Cascais, Portugal
  • Armindo Ramos
    Intensive Care Unit, Hospital de Cascais, Cascais, Portugal
  • Inês Nabais
    Internal Medicine Department, Hospital de Cascais, Cascais, Portugal
  • Isa Silva
    Internal Medicine Department, Hospital de Cascais, Cascais, Portugal

Keywords

Influenza A (H3N1), encephalitis, influenza-associated encephalopathy

Abstract

Influenza virus infection can have a range of presentations, from asymptomatic to life-threatening disease. We present the case of a 57-year-old woman with a known history of schizophrenia (controlled with medication) who presented to our emergency department in a coma after experiencing a seizure. She had reported flu-like symptoms in the previous week, which evolved to dyspnoea and altered mental status culminating in seizures and coma. Influenza virus A (H3N1) was identified in the cerebrospinal fluid. Although a rare cause of encephalitis, the influenza virus should be considered in the differential diagnosis, especially during epidemics.

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    Published: 2021-02-24
    Issue: 2021: Vol 8 No 2 (view)

    How to cite:
    1.
    Reis R, Adragão F, Parente C, Nunes I, Ramos A, Nabais I, Silva I. A Seasonal Cause of Encephalitis: Influenza Virus A (H3N1) Infection . EJCRIM 2021;8 doi:10.12890/2021_002336.

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