Cerebrospinal Fluid Immunoglobulins as Potential Biomarkers of Chikungunya Encephalitis

Abstract

Chikungunya virus causes fever and severe polyarthritis or arthralgia and is associated with neurologic manifestations that are sometimes challenging to diagnose. We demonstrate intrathecal synthesis of chikungunya antibodies in a patient with a history of acute infection complicated by encephalitis. The specificity of the intracerebral immune response supports early chikungunya-associated encephalitis diagnosis.

Keywords

• chikungunya virus
• CHIKV
• alphavirus
• humoral immune response
• cerebrospinal fluid
• meningitis/encephalitis