Bilateral Retrobulbar Optic Neuritis, Guillain-Barré Syndrome and Asymptomatic Central White Matter Lesions Following Adult Measles Infection

• Published in: Internal Medicine Vol. 48; no. 5; pp. 377 - 381
• Main Authors: Tomiyasu, Kazuhiro, Ishiyama, Masaya, Kato, Kaiichiro, Komura, Masayoshi, Ohnuma, Eri, Inamasu, Joji, Takahashi, Toshiyuki
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan The Japanese Society of Internal Medicine 2009
• Subjects: acute disseminated encephalomyelitis; acute measles encephalitis; Adult; Central nervous system; Central Nervous System - physiopathology; Central Nervous System - virology; Cerebrospinal fluid; Consciousness; Electrophysiological recording; Encephalitis; Encephalopathy; Female; Guillain-Barre syndrome; Guillain-Barre Syndrome - diagnosis; Guillain-Barre Syndrome - etiology; Guillain-Barré syndrome; Humans; Infection; Measles; Measles - complications; Measles virus - pathogenicity; Neurological complications; Optic neuritis; Optic Neuritis - diagnosis; Optic Neuritis - etiology; Peripheral Nervous System - physiopathology; Peripheral Nervous System - virology; Steroid hormones; steroid pulse therapy; Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis - diagnosis; Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis - etiology; Substantia alba
• ISSN: 0918-2918; 1349-7235; 1349-7235
• DOI: 10.2169/internalmedicine.48.1585

A 28-year-old woman presented with classic signs of measles and subsequently developed bilateral retro-bulbar optic neuritis and Guillain-Barré syndrome. Her radiographic and CSF findings were consistent with acute measles encephalitis. However, encephalopathy, such as behavioral changes and alteration in consciousness, was not presented. Improvements in the clinical, radiographic, and electrophysiological studies were observed during the steroid therapy. The overlap of CNS and PNS involvement as neurological complications of measles infection is very rare.