Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis following inactivated influenza vaccination in the Brazilian Amazon: a case report

• Published in: Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical
• Main Authors: Solange Dourado de Andrade, Maria Graciede Filha Santarém Andrade, Pablo José Santos, Maria de Lourdes Galvão, Mariana Martins de Barros, Rajendranath Ramasawmy, Izabella Picinin Safe, Wuelton Marcelo Monteiro, Meritxell Sabidó, Maria das Graças Costa Alecrim
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT) 2015
• Subjects: Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis; Inactivated influenza vaccination; Brazilian Amazon; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/0037-8682-0314-2014; https://doaj.org/article/3b4243d2d4ef4fc7acdfa554ea80a5a5

AbstractHere, we describe a case of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) that occurred during a plausible risk interval following inactivated influenza vaccination in a previously healthy 27-year-old man from Manaus, Brazil. He was treated with intravenous methylprednisolone and immunoglobulin. One-month follow-up revealed resolution of the brain lesions, but not of the spinal cord lesions. No recurrence or progression of the main neurological symptoms was observed. After two years of monitoring, the patient continues to experience weak lower limbs and urinary retention. Thus, we recommend that ADEM should be considered in a patient presenting with neurological symptoms after influenza vaccination.