Case Report

A Rare Cause of Childhood Cerebellitis-Influenza Infection: A Case Report and Systematic Review of Literature

Table 1

Summary table of reported cases of influenza-associated cerebellitis in literature.

YearAge/genderSymptomsBrain imagingCSF analysisTreatmentOutcome

1997 (Hayase and Tobita) [1]31/FFever, ataxiaNormalNormalNANA

2004 (De Bruecker et al.) [30]4/FHeadache, fever, and neck stiffnessMRI showed abnormalities in both cerebellar hemispheres and the vermisElevated protein concentration and leucocyte cellNANA

2006 (Tlili-Graiess et al.) [4]4 patients
2-7/F-M
Headache, fever, vomiting, ataxiaIn two cases, initial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (2 cases) demonstrated increased intensity on T2W and flair sequences of the cerebellar gray matterHigh lymphocytes and proteins in samples from 3 children; normal values for 1 childPrednisone (all patients)Complete resolution of symptoms in 3 cases; persistent mild right upper limb paresis in 1

2006 (Ishikawa et al.) [9]25/FFever, headacheT2-weighted brain MRI demonstrated a high signal lesion in the cerebellar cortexPleocytosisOseltamivirTruncal ataxia normalized after 3 months

2010 (Apok et al.) [7]14/FAtaxiaHydrocephalusNANAResidual left-sided ataxia after 3 months

2013 (Hackett et al.) [8]6/FHeadache, worsening dysarthria and ataxiaMRI of the brain confirmed findings consistent with cerebellitisNormalOseltamavirAll symptoms fully resolved after 1 week

2013 (Sfeir and Najem) [10]37/FFever, headacheBrain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed enlarged bilateral cerebellar hemispheres with evidence of hypointensityPleocytosisOseltamivirAll symptoms fully resolved after 2 months