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Dengue is the second most common mosquito-borne disease aecting human beings. In 2009, WHO endorsed new
guidelines that, for the rst time, consider neurological manifestations in the clinical case classication for severe
dengue. Dengue can manifest with a wide range of neurological features, which have been noteddepending on the
clinical settingin 0521% of patients with dengue admitted to hospital. Furthermore, dengue was identied in
447% of admissions with encephalitis-like illness in endemic areas. Neurological complications can be categorised
into dengue encephalopathy (eg, caused by hepatic failure or metabolic disorders), encephalitis (caused by direct virus
invasion), neuromuscular complications (eg, Guillain-Barr syndrome or transient muscle dysfunctions), and neuroophthalmic involvement. However, overlap of these categories is possible. In endemic countries and after travel to
these regions, dengue should be considered in patients presenting with fever and acute neurological manifestations.
Introduction
Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral disease caused by one
of four closely related dengue virus serotypes (DENV 14).
It is the second most common mosquito-borne disease
aecting human beings after malaria.1 Around 4 billion
people are at risk of the disease, with about 100 million
cases of symptomatic dengue occurring annually.2
Reported case-fatality rates of severe dengue range from
less than 02% to 5%.1 Population growth, urbanisation,
deterioration of mosquito-control programmes, and an
increase in air travel and trade have contributed to the
emergence and geographical spread of the disease over
past decades.1,3
In 2009, WHO released new dengue guidelines and a
new case classication, which included CNS involvement
in the denition of severe disease.1 From the time dengue
was recognised as a clinical entity, neurological
manifestations of the disease have been described.4,5
Factors that might contribute to neurological manifestations include prolonged shock, hyponatraemia,
hepatic failure, or intracranial bleeding.4,6 Therefore, the
noted abnormal neurological signs in patients with
dengue could be due to encephalopathy and not
encephalitis.4 Since the end of the 1990s, evidence of
dengue virus neurotropism has increased and the
number of reports on dengue patients with virus isolation
from CSF or brain tissue has risen.79
We did a literature review of evidence for dengue virus
neuroinvasion and the frequency either of neurological
features in patients presenting with dengue or of dengue
diagnosis in patients presenting with encephalitis-like
illness, at hospitals in endemic areas. Here, we discuss
the ndings of our literature search and describe the
epidemiology of dengue, its diagnosis, clinical manifestations, and treatment of the disease and its neurological
features.
Clinical ndings
Most dengue virus infections are asymptomatic.14
Symptomatic infections were classied traditionally into
undierentiated fever, dengue fever, dengue haemorrhagic fever, and dengue shock syndrome.15
Fever, severe frontal and retro-ocular headache, muscle,
bone and joint pain, abdominal pain, nausea, and
vomiting are common during dengue fever. A mild
transient skin rash can arise, and a maculopapular or
scarlatiniform rash can be seen after the third or fourth
day in half of infected people (gure 1). Dengue
haemorrhagic fever is dened by the presence of four
criteria: fever, haemorrhagic features (eg, ecchymosis,
petechial haemorrhage, epistaxis, gum bleeding, vaginal
or
gastrointestinal
bleeding),
thrombocytopenia
(<100 000 platelets per L blood), and evidence of plasma
leakage due to increased vascular permeability.15
However, augmented vascular permeability and plasma
leakage (rather than haemorrhagic manifestations) are
the key features that dierentiate dengue haemorrhagic
fever from dengue fever. Dengue shock syndrome has
the same characteristics as dengue haemorrhagic fever
in addition to circulatory failure, hypotension, and shock.
The traditional case classication for dengue fever and
dengue haemorrhagic fever has been used for several
Review
Neurological complications
Neurological complications of dengue virus infection can
be categorised into dengue encephalopathy, encephalitis,
immune-mediated
syndromes,
dengue
muscle
dysfunction, and neuro-ophthalmic disorders. However,
in practice, classication can be dicult because these
categories overlap and clinical dataeg, for CSF
examinationsmight be missing.
In our literature search, we identied 247 publications
describing original studies or reports of dengue with
neurological, neuromuscular, or neuro-ophthalmic
complications (gure 2). In 55 of these, the number of
patients with neurological manifestations of dengue
was presented as a proportion either of total admissions
for dengue or of all individuals with encephalitis-like
illness (classied as context studies). Manifestations
compatible with encephalitis were mentioned in
24 context studies and complications according with
encephalopathy were noted in 20; in the remaining 11,
either both terms were used or multiple neurological
manifestations were described. However, these two
907
Review
Dengue encephalopathy
Acute encephalopathy is the most commonly reported
neurological disorder associated with dengue virus
infection. Dengue encephalopathy involves a diminished
level of consciousness that can be precipitated or caused
by several factors, including prolonged shock, anoxia,
cerebral oedema, metabolic disturbances (eg, hyponatraemia), systemic or cerebral haemorrhages, acute
liver failure, or renal failure.6,41 CSF analyses, including
measurements of protein, glucose, and cell count, are
usually normal.
908
Encephalitis
In the past decade, an expanded clinical spectrum has
emerged of encephalitis due to CNS invasion and
neurotropic eects of dengue virus. Five studies were
identied by our literature search that provided results of
CSF analysis of cell counts and detection of dengue virus
or dengue virus antigen among patients admitted with
dengue (table 1).8,9,2224 In a prospective study from
Vietnam, 16 (1%) of 1691 patients admitted with suspected
dengue virus infection had neurological presentations,
and another ve dengue-positive patients had CNS
abnormalities.8 Of these 21 individuals, dengue virus was
isolated or detected by PCR in CSF in ten. Nine of these
patients were classied as having dengue with
encephalitis. In a study from Brazil, 11 of 18 patients with
Review
Search strategy (using PubMed and Scopus online databases): dengue AND (encephal*
OR neurolog* OR stroke OR myositis OR ophthalmic OR ocular OR unusual
manifestations) with publication dates from 1959 to June 4, 2013
247 publications
57 on dengue-associated neuromuscular
or immune-mediated complications
13 Guillain-Barr syndrome
1 Miller-Fisher syndrome
7 ADEM
5 acute transverse myelitis
9 neuropathy or plexopathy
(eg, phrenic nerve or brachial)
1 compressive myelopathy
1 parkinsonism
4 hypokalaemic paresis
1 various neurological features
12 myositis or myopathy
3 rhabdomyolysis
55 context studies
33 encephalitis or meningitis
26 single case reports
7 case series
41 encephalopathy
20 single case reports
8 case series
13 haemorrhagic
7 fatal and autopsy*
17 case series, various neurological
complications
37 on dengue-associated neuro-ocular
complications
13 maculopathy
9 case series, various ocular complications
5 retinal vasculitis, vein occlusion,
or oedema
3 optic neuritis or neuropathy
3 premacular or retinal haemorrhage
1 corneal ulceration
1 uveitis
1 papilloedema
1 oculomotor paresis
909
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Country
Clinical manifestations
Cam et al (2001)22
Vietnam
Prospective case-control;
5400 children (age 015 years)
admitted with dengue haemorrhagic
fever
27 of 5400 (05%)
14 of 22 IgM-positive;
one of 22 PCR-positive;
22 of 22 normal protein, glucose, cells
Domingues et al
(2008)9
Brazil
18 of 85 (21%)
Pancharoen and
Thisyakorn (2001)23
Thailand
80 of 1493 (54%)
0 of 16 IgM-positive;
0 of 16 PCR-positive;
seven of 31 pleocytosis in CSF
Eight of 16 IgM-positive;
four of 16 PCR-positive or
isolation-positive; three of four
IgM-negative but PCR-positive or
isolation-positive in CSF;
three of 21 with pleocytosis; seven of
21 with protein >45 g/L
Thisyakorn et al
(1999)25 (update
from 1994)24
30 of 2975 (1%)
Two of 19 IgM-positive;
six of 28 pleocytosis
Thailand
Table 1: Proportion of neurological features in patients admitted with dengue or dengue haemorrhagic fever
Country
CSF diagnosis
Clinical manifestations
Chokephaibulkit et al
(2001)26
Thailand
Eight of 40 (20%)
Garca-Rivera et al
(2009)27
One IgM-positive;
Nine of 34 (26%) with
three of ve with mild pleocytosis;
encephalitis-like illness;
two of 11 (18%) with motor four of ve increased protein
disorders
Kankirawatana et al
(2000)28
Thailand
Prospective; 44 children
(age 712 years) with acute
viral encephalitis
Eight of 44 (18%)
Kumar et al (2008)29
India
39 of 265 (15%)
Le et al (2010)30
Vietnam
Soares et al (2011)31
Brazil
Srey et al (2002)32
Cambodia
Four of 52 (8%)
910
Review
CSF diagnosis
Neuropathological autopsy
results
Arajo et al (2012)33
Brazil; retrospective
context study on fatal
cases (age 086 years)
with suspected
infectious disease
NA
Seven of 41 PCR-positive;
one of 41 isolation-positive;
22 of 41 NS1-antigen-positive;
27 of 41 IgM-positive
Bhoopat et al (1996)34
NA
NA
Chimelli et al (1990)35
and Miagostovich et al
(1997, follow-up
study)36
Brazil; outbreak in
Rio de Janeiro
Janssen et al (1998)40
NA
Nimmannitya et al
(1987)4
Thailand; retrospective
review of autopsy
reports and microscopic
slides at Childrens
Hospital, Bangkok
NA
Nogueira et al (2002)37
NA
Nogueira et al (2005)38
Brazil; outbreak in
Rio de Janeiro
40 fatal cases (age 765 years); One of two PCR-positive; none Three of three PCR-positive; none
of three isolation-positive; two of
proportion with neurological of two isolation-positive;
seven positive
none of two IgM-positive
features unknown
immunohistochemistry
Ramos et al (1998)39
Mexico; outbreak in
Sinaloa
NA=not available. Further study details are presented in the appendix (pp 56).
911
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Guillain-Barr syndrome
Dengue virus infection preceding Guillain-Barr
syndrome has been described in case reports and case
series of patients presenting with various neurological
manifestations.27,59,60,65,70,7891 Acute onset of limb weakness
and areexia was noted a week after symptom
onset.59,70,7881,83 The acute pure axonal motor-sensory
variant of Guillain-Barr syndrome has also been
described after dengue virus infection.89 CSF analysis
might show increased protein concentrations without
pleocytosis (albumin-cytological dissociation). GuillainBarr syndrome has also been described in patients with
oligosymptomatic dengue virus infection.84
Cerebrovascular complications
Intracranial haemorrhages have been reported during the
convalescence stage of dengue.75,92 The incidence of
dengue-associated cerebrovascular complications is
unknown, although haemorrhagic stroke seems more
common than ischaemic stroke. During an epidemic in
India, 1148 laboratory-conrmed dengue patients were
admitted to hospital and three had a stroke (026%).93
During the 2003 epidemic in Brazil, only one patient with
brain haemorrhage was registered among 1585 conrmed
dengue cases.94 However, in dengue-endemic countries,
we assume that patients with haemorrhagic or ischaemic
stroke are tested rarely for dengue.
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Neuro-ophthalmic complications
Neuro-ophthalmic manifestations of dengue typically
entail the posterior segment. Anterior uveitis without
evidence of posterior segment involvement can happen
rarely and be associated with progressive loss of vision.118
Ocular complications include dengue maculopathy,
retinal oedema, retinal haemorrhages, optic disc swelling,
optic neuropathy, and vitritis. Incidence of these disorders
is probably underestimated; neuro-ophthalmic complications usually develop during the convalescence stage
of dengue virus infection and without systemic bleeding
diathesis. Many patients with ocular complications have
classic dengue fever with normal platelet counts and
without substantial haemodynamic derangement.119 In
Singapore, the estimated prevalence of dengue
maculopathy was 10% among 160 admissions for
dengue.120 In India, ocular involvement was noted in 40%
of 134 dengue admissions.121
Retinal vasculopathy might be the most common ocular
manifestation of dengue virus infection.122 Another typical
feature is retinal haemorrhage attributable to increased
vascular permeability and breakdown of the inner blood
retinal barrier. Occlusion of precapillary arterioles can
provoke microinfarctions of the nerve bre layer, which
can be detected as cotton wool spots on ophthalmological
examination.123 In case series, the most common ocular
nding was dengue maculopathy presenting as macular
oedema, haemorrhage, or both, yellow spots in the
macula, and focal chorioretinitis with or without retinal
vasculitis.120,124 In a retrospective series of 41 patients with
impaired vision from dengue-related maculopathy,
blurring vision (21 cases) and central scotoma (14 cases)
were the most frequent visual complaints.124 Exudative
maculopathy and small haemorrhages located in the optic
nerve bre layer can provoke reduced visual acuity.
Optic neuropathy has been described in a few cases.125,126
Bilateral visual loss secondary to pituitary adenoma and
bilateral vitreous haemorrhage associated with dengue
fever have also been reported.98,127 Most patients recover
spontaneously to their best-corrected visual acuity
without specic treatment between 1 week and 3 months
after onset.120 Nevertheless, some people might complain
of persistent scotoma, and visual impairment could
remain in cases of severe exudative maculopathy and
retinal haemorrhage.118,128
Review
Diagnosis
Clinical suspicion is essential for diagnosis of dengue
because many symptoms are non-specic. Various
methods are available for laboratory conrmation.
During the rst days of infection, dengue virus is present
in blood; thus, at that time, detection of NS1 antigen or
RNA by RT-PCR and viral culture are appropriate
diagnostic methods.1 Dengue virus-specic IgM
antibodies are present in serum samples 310 days after
disease onset.1 IgM capture (MAC)-ELISA is the most
widely used serological test. Antibodies against other
aviviruses (eg, Japanese encephalitis, West Nile virus,
yellow fever) might cross-react with dengue virus, leading
to false-positive reactions.136
In endemic countries, or among travellers who recently
(<14 days) returned from such regions, dengue should be
ruled out in patients with fever and neurological features
(panel 2). If possible, lumbar puncture should be done and
CSF analysed for abnormalities and for dengue virusspecic antibodies, NS1 antigen, or dengue virus RNA,
depending on available laboratory facilities. Dierential
diagnosis in patients with febrile encephalopathy includes
malaria, tuberculosis, leptospirosis, rickettsial infection,
and other bacterial or viral diseases (caused by, for example,
Japanese encephalitis, West Nile virus, or herpes simplex
virus [HSV]), depending on the local epidemiology. In a
prospective hospital-based study in Vietnam, most children
with acute encephalitis of presumed viral origin were
infected with Japanese encephalitis (26%), followed by
enteroviruses (9%) and dengue virus (5%).30 In adults and
adolescents in Brazil, dengue was the leading cause of viral
encephalitis (47%), followed by infections with HSV-1.31
To dierentiate dengue encephalitis from encephalopathy, detection of dengue virus, NS1 antigen, or
dengue virus-specic IgM antibodies in CSF is helpful.
Nevertheless, sensitivity of serological techniques can be
low. Dengue virus-specic IgM antibodies have been
recorded in CSF of 2233% of patients diagnosed with
dengue encephalitis (tables 1 and 2).90 Detection of
dengue virus in CSF could be hampered by low sensitivity
of RT-PCR in CSF, compared with ndings in serum,
because of a lower viral load.137 Moreover, measurement
of IgM antibodies in CSF might not be a reliable
diagnostic marker of dengue CNS involvement, owing to
low titres in CSF.138 Abnormalities in CSFsuch as
lymphocytic pleocytosissupport the diagnosis of
dengue encephalitis, but they are not always present
(tables 13). A mild increase in CSF protein has been
recorded.28 In a series of patients with neurological
complications of dengue, four of seven with encephalitis
had no alterations in CSF.90 Therefore, normal CSF
cellularity should not exclude dengue encephalitis.
The case denitions in panel 2 are designed to be used
epidemiologically and clinically and to guide diagnosis
and prognosis. Although we propose criteria for a
classication scheme, a topic as challenging and as
controversial as dengue encephalitis needs to be addressed
in a standard way. Prospective studies are needed to assess
the specicity and sensitivity of the proposed case
denitions and to generate supporting evidence. Cases
fullling neither the denition for encephalitis nor that
for encephalopathyeg, without CSF testing or when
categories are overlappingcan be categorised as other or
non-specied dengue CNS involvement.
Neuroimaging might provide additional clues in the
diagnosis of neurological complications of dengue. In
dengue encephalitis, brain MRI can be normal or show
focal parenchymal abnormalities.22,41 Nevertheless, no
specic MRI ndings suggestive of dengue encephalitis
have been reported. Neuroimaging features of patients
with dengue are diverse, with cerebral oedema the most
commonly reported nding.77 Meningeal enhancement on
post-contrast MRI has been reported occasionally as well.77
Finally, EEG abnormalities can be seen in dengue
patients with neurological complications. In a study of
23 patients with dengue virus infection and neurological
symptoms, EEG abnormalities were recorded in
12 people.139 Slowing on EEG can be seen, but this nding
is unspecic and could be attributable to seizures,
intracranial haemorrhage, and viral infection per se,
besides encephalopathy.77
Management
Currently, no eective antiviral agents are available to
treat symptomatic dengue virus infection.140 Therefore,
management remains supportive. In mild cases,
antipyretic drugs and oral uids could be useful.
Acetyl-salicylic derivatives and other non-steroidal
anti-inammatory drugs should be avoided. Management
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Contributors
All authors contributed equally to writing of this Review, to preparation
of the tables and gures, and to the literature search.
22
Conicts of interest
We declare that we have no conicts of interest.
23
Acknowledgments
JG receives research funds from the Agncia de Gesti dAjuts
Universitaris i de Recerca (AGAUR; grant 2009SGR385); JF receives
research funds from the Wellcome Trust UK, Li Ka Shing Foundation,
Medical Research Council UK, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and
Singapore Ministry of Health. No sponsorship was received to write this
Review.
24
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