Cerebellar ataxia in enteric fever

Abstract

In a study of enteric fever, cerebellar ataxia was found to be the commonest neurological manifestation, second only to toxic delirium. Excludingtoxic delirium (found in 25-30% of cases) neurologic deficit was noted in 5-0% of a series of 718 consecutive cases; 2-3% showed cerebellar ataxia, either as an isolated feature or in association with other lesions. The ataxia usually appeared in the second week, and lasted a mean of 9-4 days. In 90% of cases it had cleared completely within a month.