This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Arii, J. Articles by Kohno, Y. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Arii, J. Articles by Kohno, Y. Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Acute Encephalopathy Associated With Nontyphoidal Salmonellosis

Division of Neurology Chiba Children's Hospital Department of Pediatrics Chiba University School of Medicine

Yuzo Tanabe, MD

Division of Neurology Chiba Children's Hospital, Chiba University School of Medicine

Masami Miyake, PhD

Second Department of Microbiology Chiba University School of Medicine, Chiba University School of Medicine

Masatoshi Noda, PhD

Second Department of Microbiology Chiba University School of Medicine, Chiba University School of Medicine

Yoshihito Takahashi, MD

Department of Pediatrics Chiba Kaihin Hospital, Chiba University School of Medicine

Haruka Hishiki, MD

Department of Pediatrics Chiba University School of Medicine Chiba, Japan

Yoichi Kohno, MD

Department of Pediatrics Chiba University School of Medicine Chiba, Japan

The importance of an acute encephalopathy associated with nontyphoidal salmonellosis has recently been recognized, but the disease entity has been poorly established. In this study, we describe two encephalopathic patients associated with nontyphoidal salmonellosis. The patients exhibited a rapid evolution of coma after the onset of lethargy or seizure. Fever and diarrhea due to salmonellosis preceded these events. Secondary factors inducing encephalopathies, such as severe dehydration, sepsis, meningitis, electrolyte or metabolic disturbances, acute renal failure, and multiple organ failure, were excluded in the differential diagnosis at the onset of encephalopathic features. These clinical findings and rapid development of encephalopathic features from localized intestinal infection without any significant abnormalities in a variety of blood tests may suggest a toxic etiology. However, endotoxin was not found in serum from both patients. From these results, we conclude that nontyphoidal salmonellosis can cause a toxic encephalopathy syndrome, like shigellosis or verocytotoxin-pro ducing Escherichia coli infection. (J Child Neurol 2001;16:539-540).

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?