Polyneuropathy and cerebral infarction complicating scrub typhus

Abstract

We describe a 64-year-old man with scrub typhus who presented with both polyneuropathy and cerebral infarction. A neurological examination revealed a confused mental state, stiff neck, hearing impairment, symmetric weakness, sensory loss, and ataxia. Electrophysiologic studies showed demyelinating sensorimotor polyneuropathy and sensorineural hearing loss. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed multiple infarctions. Brain involvement or polyneuropathy associated with scrub typhus has been rarely reported, and the pathogenic mechanism underlying the multiple neurological complications remains to be elucidated.