Rinsho Shinkeigaku (Clinical Neurology)

Brief Clinical Note

A case of tsutsugamushi disease (scrub typhus) presenting with fever and pain indistinguishable from trigeminal neuralgia

Motomi Arai, M.D., Ph.D.1), Asuka Nakamura, M.D.2) and Daisuke Shichi, M.D.2)

1)Department of Neurology, Seirei Mikatahara General Hospital
2)Internal Medicine, Seirei Mikatahara General Hospital

A 64-year-old man visited our clinic with a 9-day history of headache and fever. He had frequent, severe, electric shock-like pain in his left eye, forehead, and scalp. The body temperature was 37.1 degree. Cranial nerve functions were intact. Limb weakness and stiff neck were absent. There were injection of the conjunctiva, a red rash on the trunk, and an eschar in the axilla. Abnormal laboratory findings included AST 40 IU, ALT 44 IU, CRP 16.0 mg/dl, WBC 11,090/μl, and proteinuria. CT scan was unremarkable. The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) showed 2 polymorphs /μl, 6 lymphocytes /μl, 65 mg/dl of glucose, and 42 mg/dl of protein. A diagnosis of scrub typhus was made. Treatment with minocycline brought about prompt disappearance of the fever and dramatic clinical improvement. Increased antibody titers confirmed the diagnosis.
Although almost all patients present with high fever and severe headache, only a small number of patients have CSF pleocytosis. The present case illustrates that pain in scrub typhus is, on rare occasions, indistinguishable from trigeminal neuralgia. Neurologists should have a high index of suspicion in patients with fever and headache during the epidemic season and should be familiar with the systemic symptoms and signs.

(CLINICA NEUROL, 47: 362－364, 2007)
key words: tsutsugamushi disease, scrub typhus, meningitis, trigeminal neuralgia

(Received: 27-Dec-06)