Scrub Typhus Presenting as Unilateral Abducens Nerve Palsy: A Case Report

Abstract

Abducens nerve palsies associated with infectious diseases are rare. Scrub typhus is an acute, febrile, infectious illness caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi carried out by vector mite zoonosis and is highly endemic in the so-called “tsutsugamushi triangle”. The organism has been reported to be capable of entering the nervous system, causing meningitis and focal neurologic abnormalities. We report a 23 years old previously healthy girl who presented with fever, pain abdomen, vomiting and classical pathognomic black eschar mark on the right proximal medial calf region. After exclusion of other common infectious causes, scrub typhus serology immunoglobulin M was positive and was diagnosed with scrub typhus associated with unilateral abducens nerve palsy which responded to doxycycline therapy. On the background of strong clinical suspicion, we underline its significance in the interpretation of the serologic testing and its role in guiding the further treatment respectively.

Keywords

• abducens nerve palsy; case report; Orientia tsutsugamushi; scrub typhus; zoonoses.