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Neurology is the official journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Published continuously
since 1951, it is now a weekly with 48 issues per year. Copyright 2012 by AAN Enterprises, Inc. All
rights reserved. Print ISSN: 0028-3878. Online ISSN: 1526-632X.
Central nervous system involvement
in dengue
A study in fatal cases from a dengue endemic area
GLOSSARY
DENV dengue virus; DF dengue fever; DHF dengue hemorrhagic fever; DSS dengue shock syndrome; IgG
immunoglobulin G; IgM immunoglobulin M; IHC immunohistochemistry; NS1Ag nonstructural 1 antigen; RT-PCR
reverse transcriptase PCR.
Estimates of the annual number of dengue fever (DF) cases in the world vary widely, ranging
from 70 to 500 million, including 24,000 deaths.1 Brazil is responsible for approximately 60%
of dengue cases in the Americas.2 In the State of Ceara, in northeastern Brazil, the disease has
been endemic since 1986, presenting periodic epidemics, with the circulation of DENV-1,
DENV-2, and DENV-3.3,4 The last epidemic period was from 2005 to 2008, with 2 predom-
inant serotypes: DENV-2 and DENV-3.4
Dengue infection presents classically as DF, dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF), and dengue
shock syndrome (DSS), which can be fatal. Unusual manifestations are becoming more com-
mon. The involvement of the CNS in patients with dengue has been reported in countries
where the disease is endemic.2 The capacity of DENV to infect the CNS has been demon-
strated by the detection of viral RNA in cerebral tissue and CSF, virus isolation in CSF, and
demonstration of intrathecal synthesis of dengue-specific antibodies.5 8
This study aimed at determining the frequency of CNS infection by DENV in dengue cases
with fatal outcomes during a dengue epidemic period in the State of Ceara, northeastern Brazil.
From the Central Public Health Laboratory, Virology Section (F.M.C.A.), and Coroner Office Dr. Rocha Furtado (D.N.O.), State Health Secretariat
of Ceara, Ceara; Neurology Service of Dr. Jose Frota Institute (M.S.A.), Ceara; Flavivirus Laboratory (R.M.R.N.), Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Rio de
Janeiro; Postgraduate Program in Medical Sciences (F.M.C.A., R.S.N.B., M.F.G.R., R.A.C., J.J.C.S.) and Specialized Center of Medical Mycology
(R.S.N.B., M.F.G.R., R.A.C., J.J.C.S.), Federal University of Ceara, Ceara; and Sao Francisco Hospital of Caninde (R.M.C.A.), Ceara, Brazil.
Study funding: Supported by the Brazilian National Research Council, process MCT/CNPq 14/2009, and the Ceara State Scientific Development
Foundation, process FUNCAP 09100097-1.
Disclosure: The authors report no disclosures.
Not suspected of dengue 19 (12.7) 36 (24.0) 55 (36.7) RNA extraction. Viral RNA for the nested RT-PCR assay
was extracted from 140 L of 150 CSF specimens and 29
Total 84 (56.0) 66 (44.0) 150 (100)
serum specimens by the QIAamp Viral RNA Mini Kit
Abbreviation: DENV dengue virus. (QUIAGEN, Valencia, CA), following the manufacturers
protocol. RNA was eluted in 60 L of elution buffer and
METHODS Study population. Samples from the 150 in- stored at 80C until tested.
dividuals included in this study came from the Dr. Rocha Fur-
RT-PCR. The RT-PCR protocol for DENV detection and
tado Coroners Office of the State Health Secretariat of Ceara,
typing was carried out in 150 CSF samples and 29 available
where the corpses had been autopsied to establish the cause of
serum samples, as described previously.11
death, between 2005 and 2008. The specimens analyzed were
150 CSF, 120 tissue, and 109 blood samples that were collected NS1Ag detection. The NS1Ag Pan-E Dengue Early ELISA
up to 12 hours postmortem. Importantly, all CSF samples were not kit (Panbio Diagnostics, Brisbane, Australia) was used to detect
contaminated with blood. Of 109 blood specimens, it was possible the dengue NS1Ag in 150 CSF specimens, according to the
to obtain 29 sera. All samples were received at room temperature. manufacturers recommendations.12
The samples maintained in formalin were sent to a reference unit to
perform histopathologic and immunohistochemistry (IHC) analy- IgM antibody detection. The dengue IgM-capture ELISA
ses for the presence of the dengue antigen. CSF, blood, and serum (Panbio, Brisbane, Australia) was performed on 150 CSF sam-
were stored at 80C until tested at the Central Public Health ples, according to the manufacturers instructions, except for the
Laboratory of Ceara. dilution, which was 1:2, similar to a test previously used to detect
All subjects were suspected of dying of an infectious disease. IgM in CSF.7
They were tested for bacteria and fungi and presented negative
IgG antibody detection. The Panbio Dengue Duo Cassette
results. The CSF from these patients was obtained by lumbar
was performed, according to the manufacturers instructions, on
puncture. Each sample was accompanied by a form containing
CSF and serum samples that were positive for DENV in any of the
demographic and clinical data.
tests previously used to characterize dengue infection. In this assay,
Case definition. A patient was confirmed as having had den- the IgM and IgG are determined simultaneously, using a single sam-
gue if the clinical data showed signs or symptoms of dengue and ple. According to the manual, the sensitivity of this assay was cali-
one or more specimens tested positive for dengue by viral isola- brated so that for individuals with primary dengue, the IgM is
tion, reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR), IHC, detection of positive while the IgG is negative. For secondary infections, either
nonstructural 1 antigen (NS1Ag), or immunoglobulin M (IgM) both the IgG and IgM are positive or just the IgG is positive.
detection. Patients with neurologic manifestation and viral isola-
tion or RT-PCR or NS1Ag or IgM-positive for dengue in CSF RESULTS Epidemiology. A total of 150 patients
were considered to have a CNS infection by DENV. Patients with fatal outcomes, suspected of having infectious
with immunoglobulin G (IgG)positive serum samples for
diseases, were studied for dengue diagnosis (table 1).
DENV were considered to have a secondary dengue infection.
The frequencies and means were calculated using the Epi-info Of 84 individuals found to have been infected with
software and the data were qualitatively analyzed through the DENV, 47 (56.0%) were male and 37 (44.0%) fe-
construction of tables. male. The average age was 33 years, varying from 2
Standard protocol approvals, registrations, and patient months to 86 years. The patients came from 27 mu-
consents. The study was conducted after approval by the ethics nicipalities in the state of Ceara, mainly from the
committee of Sao Jose Infectious Diseases Hospital (protocol capital, Fortaleza (45 cases, or 53.6%). The average
Table 2 Results of 84 fatal dengue cases according to available specimens and methodologies
Virus
Clinical RT-PCR, isolation, Serotype IgM,
sample P/T (%) P/T (%) detected P/T (%) IgG, P/T (%) NS1Ag, P/T (%) IHC, P/T (%)
CSF 7/84 (8.3) 1/84 (1.2) 3 DENV-2; 5 DENV-3 27/84 (32.1) 34/84 (40.5) 22 /84 (26.2) ND
Sera 2/29 (6.9) 0/29 (0.0) 2 DENV-3 13/29 (44.8) 13/29 (44.8) ND ND
Total 9/113 (8.0) 2/193 (1.0) 3 DENV 2; 8 DENV 3 40/113 (35.4) 47/113 (41.6) 22/84 (26.2) 57/84 (67.9)
Abbreviations: IgG immunoglobulin G; IgM immunoglobulin M; IHC immunohistochemistry; ND not done; NS1 Ag
nonstructural 1 antigen; P positive; RT-PCR reverse transcriptase PCR; T tested.
NM Agea/sex CSF Blood/serum CSF Serum CSF Serum CSF Serum CSF Liver
E 24/M ND
E 84/F ND ND ND ND ND
E 39/M ND ND ND
E 19/M DENV 2 ND ND ND
E 1/M DENV 2 ND ND ND ND
E 1/M ND ND ND
E 49/M ND ND ND
E 16/F ND ND ND
E 53/F ND
E 2/F
E 57/F ND
E 20/F ND
E 24/F
E 43/M ND ND ND
E 48/F ND ND
E 1/F ND ND ND
E 49/F ND
E 51/F ND
M 48/F ND DENV-3 ND ND ND ND
M 31/M DENV 2 ND ND ND
M 42/F ND ND ND
M 16/M ND ND ND ND
M 32/F
M 43/M ND ND ND ND ND
M 1/M ND ND ND ND ND ND
ME 32/F DENV-3 ND
ME 1/F ND ND ND
ME 72/F ND ND ND
ME 45/M ND ND ND
ME 48/M ND ND ND ND
ME 17/F ND ND ND
ME 47/F ND ND ND ND
ME 6/F
ME 12/F ND ND
ME 3/F ND
ME 42/M ND
ME 15/M ND
ME 28/F ND
ME 76/F ND
Total 41 1 1 7 2 27 11 18 11 22 14
Brain (n 75) 65/75 (86.7) 66/75 (88.0) 10/75 (13.3) 4/75 (5.3) 9/75 (12.0) 3/75 (4.0) ND ND ND
Lung (n 73) 47/73 (64.4) 40/73 (54.8) 41/73 (56.2) 0/73 (0.0) ND ND ND ND 8/73 (11.0)
Liver (n 72) 23/72 (31.9) 8/72 (11.1) 18/72 (25.0) 28/72 (38.9) ND ND 18/72 (25.0) ND ND
Spleen (n 68) 47/68 (69.1) 1/68 (1.5) 29/68 (42.6) 34/68 (50.0) ND ND ND ND ND
Kidney (n 13) 8/13 (61.5) 3/13 (23.0) 0/13 (0.0) 2/13 (15.4) ND ND ND ND ND
Heart (n 9) 0/9 (0.0) 6/9 (66.7) 3/9 (33.3) 0/9 (0.0) ND ND ND 2/9 (22.2) ND
Total 190/310 (61.3) 124/310 (40.0) 101/310 (32.6) 68/310 (21.9) 9/75 (12.0) 3/75 (4.0) 18/72 (25.0) 2/9 (22.2) 8/73 (11.0)
time between the onset of symptoms and death was 5 pothesis in those cases even after necropsy. The mean
days, varying from 1 to 14 days. age of the subjects was 33 years. In Brazil, DF and
DHF have been characterized by a higher incidence
Laboratory findings. Out of 150 patients studied, 84
in the adult population,1315 although this pattern has
were dengue positive on at least one of the following
been changing, with a significant increase in recent
tests: RT-PCR, viral isolation, IgM, IgG, NS1Ag,
and IHC. The diagnostic results yielded by the 6 years in the proportion of DHF in individuals
distinct approaches are shown in table 2. There were younger than 15 years.16
13 (44.8%) secondary and 16 (55.3%) primary Neurologic involvement in dengue infections has
infections. been referred to as encephalopathy and attributed to
Out of 84 dengue-positive individuals, 41 fluid extravasations, cerebral edema, hyponatremia,
(48.8%) had some evidence of CSF infection by den- liver or renal failure, and not to encephalitis due to
gue viruses (table 3). All CSF specimens were investi- localized invasion of the CNS. More recently, reports
gated for the presence of bacterial or fungal pathogen have demonstrated the presence of DENV in the
and were negative. brain and CSF by PCR, viral isolation, NS1Ag, and
The necropsy and histopathologic findings of tis- IgM detection, providing strong evidence that
sues from dengue patients can be seen in table 4. The DENV has neurovirulent properties.7,8,12,17,18 The
most frequent findings were congestion (61.3%), detection of DENV-2 and DENV-3 confirmed the
edema (40.0%), hemorrhage (32.6%), and necrosis serotypes that were circulating during the dengue ep-
(21.9%). idemic period studied and are known to cause neuro-
logic alterations.4,17,18
Clinical findings. Of 84 patients with dengue infec-
As the presence of DENV antigens was previously
tion, 20 fulfilled the WHO criteria for DHF and in 9
demonstrated in CNS by IHC and ELISA,19,20 the
patients neurologic manifestations coincided with
feasibility of finding dengue NS1Ag in CSF by
clinical features of DHF. All others were classified as
ELISA has been considered to be a new tool that can
severe dengue.
be used in patients with neurologic manifestations
Considering the clinical manifestations and nec-
associated with dengue infection.12 This antigen has
ropsy, histopathologic and laboratory findings that
been related to virus replication and viremia titer
characterize CNS involvement in patients with CSF
positive for DENV, which represented 48.8% (41/ with risk to develop DHF. It has been found in the
84) of the positive fatal outcomes studied, the follow- plasma of acute dengue-infected patients,21 so it is
ing neurologic diagnoses were made: 19/41 (46.3%) plausible to find it in the CSF of patients who have
encephalitis, 14/41 (34.1%) meningoencephalitis, acute dengue infection with neurologic signs or
and 8/41 (19.5%) meningitis (tables 3 and 5). symptoms.
IgM antibodies were found in CSF samples,
DISCUSSION In the Northeastern Brazilian State which may indicate the neurovirulence of dengue vi-
of Ceara, deaths have occurred during outbreaks of ruses and their capacity to cause encephalitis.22 The
dengue and sometimes the rapid evolution of symp- detection of specific IgM antibodies in CSF had a
toms until death makes it difficult to confirm the high specificity (97%) for the neurologic diagnosis
diagnosis during life.12,13 associated with dengue.7 In this study, the average
It has been noted that in the cases not suspected number of days of the disease was 5, so when a posi-
of dengue infection, 12.7% (table 1) were positive tive IgM in CSF was found, it was considered an
for dengue, which shows the difficulty of clinical hy- acute or recent dengue infection.
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References This article cites 30 articles, 5 of which can be accessed free at:
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