Opsoclonus–myoclonus–ataxia syndrome associated with dengue encephalitis: A rare presentation

Abstract

Opsoclonus–myoclonus–ataxia syndrome (OMAS) is an inflammatory neurological disordercharacterized by chaotic uncontrolled movements of the eyes and involuntary jerk-like movements of the body. We report the case of a 45-year-old man who presented with fever without any seizures or focal deficits. On examination, he had opsoclonus in his eyes and cortical myoclonus in his hands and body. On evaluation, he tested positive for the dengue NS1 antigen. Furthermore, he had low platelets, normal metabolic workup, normal brain imaging, and normalcerebrospinal fluid analysis. He was managed conservatively and showed improvement in opsoclonus–myoclonus by day 7 of his illness and complete recovery in 2 weeks. Although dengue is primarily considered to be a hematotropic virus, it can involve the nervous system and manifest with OMAS. To the best of our knowledge, OMAS has been reported in only four cases of dengue infection in adults to date.

Keywords

• dengue encephalitis
• movement disorders
• opsoclonus–myoclonus–ataxia syndrome