Post-infectious Basal Ganglia Encephalitis Caused by Mumps: A Case Series.
Mahesh Kamate, Gayatri Pawar, Virupaxi Hattiholi
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Case in brief
The report describes five patients with basal ganglia encephalitis associated with mumps infection. They had a recent history of parotitis or febrile illness and serologic evidence of mumps, followed by acute movement disorders and behavioral changes, sometimes with seizures. Neuroimaging showed basal ganglia abnormalities. Extrapyramidal symptoms emerging as patients recovered from a febrile illness and clinical improvement after immunomodulatory therapy supported the diagnosis. Recovery was slower and hospitalization longer than for other mumps complications; the abstract does not provide individual outcomes or treatment details.
What made this case unusual
The neurologic syndrome could emerge during recovery from a febrile illness, with extrapyramidal symptoms accompanying basal ganglia abnormalities on imaging—features that may help distinguish this post-/para-infectious complication.
Diagnostic / clinical pearl
Consider mumps-associated basal ganglia encephalitis when acute movement or behavioral changes follow parotitis or a febrile illness, particularly when imaging shows basal ganglia abnormalities and mumps serology is positive.
Why it matters
The authors report slower recovery and longer hospitalization than with other mumps complications, underscoring the potential morbidity of this neurologic presentation.