Case Studies in Neurological Infections of Adults and Children

The global burden of neurological infectious diseases is huge. Sometimes the diagnosis is straightforward. On other occasions it may be difficult, especially because of the overlap with inflammatory neurological conditions. Delays or missed diagnoses can have devastating consequences for patients. This book brings together adult and pediatric clinical cases in neurological infection and inflammation, including important conditions for both developed countries and resource-poor settings. Clinical case studies are recognized as a useful learning tool for clinicians at all stages in their careers. Each real case works through the history, examination, and investigation findings to the diagnosis and treatment pathway. This is followed by discussion of the key issues, with the inclusion of historical or quirky facts. Many cases are supported online by a certified post-case quiz, testing the reader's clinical reasoning, integrative thinking, and problem-solving.

    The engaging case-based approach takes the reader through the diagnostic and therapeutic pathway in a format which reflects clinical practice
    Cases begin with no context or category and then walk the reader through the presentation of the patient, the diagnostic work-up, then targeted investigation leading to the final diagnosis
    Many cases are supported by a certified online post-case quiz, allowing the reader to test themselves

 Contents

List of contributors
Preface
1. Occam's razor through the neuroaxis Benedict Michael
2. Between the head and the heart Theresa Cole
3. Thinking laterally Baba Aji
4. No laughing matter Besa Ziso
5. Unusual cause for an expanding head circumference in a neonate Hema Bentur and Rachel Kneen
6. No hard feelings David Bargiela
7. The masquerader Laura A. Benjamin
8. An old enemy Michael Bonello and Tom Solomon
9. A Vietnamese child who is floppy and falling Hannah E. Brindle and Benedict Michael
10. Disseminated in time and space Ales Cheadle
11. Double trouble Michael Bonello
12. Hiking into danger Ales Cheadle
13. A runny nose, running into trouble Theresa Cole
14. An undulating fever Derek J. Sloane and Nicholas J. Beeching
15. Headache and fever after a safari Hannah E. Brindle and Tom Solomon
16. Sent home with a pain in the ear Liene Elsone, Mona Ghadri-Sani and Tom Solomon
17. Relapsing infection and a spelling bug Suresh Kumar Chhetri, Claire Gall and Hedley C. A. Emsley
18. Scratching the surface Sylviane Defres
19. Cloudy with a chance of cytokine storms Anu Goenke and Rachel Kneen
20. Ter-wit-ter-woo! Sylviane Defres
21. Same family, different genus, new problem? Michael Grosdenier and Rachel Kneen
22. The great pretender Richard J. B. Ellis
23. Word salad Sylviane Defres
24. A mildly unwell mother delivers a very unwell baby Anu Goenke and Rachel Kneen
25. A creeping weakness Liene Elsone and Mona Ghadri-Sani
26. Preventable cause of peripheral neuropathy Anand Iyer and Rachel Kneen
27. It's in the genes Mona Ghadiri-Sani and Sylviane Defres
28. Sutton's law Sylviane Defres
29. 'No milk for me please' Michael Grosdenier
30. More than mononucleosis: a familial or reactive risk? Karolina Griffiths, Lynsey C. Goodwin and Alastair Miller
31. Return of an old foe Syed Hyder
32. The lethal masquerader Anand Iyer
33. Bitten in the Hampshires Heli Halvala and Tom Solomon
34. Is it all to do with his glands doctor? Rachel Kneen
35. A recurring pain in the neck Fiona McGill
36. A new case of history repeating itself? Anand Iyer and Rachel Kneen
37. Feeling a little light-headed Fiona McGill
38. A rare cause of coma that could run in the family Jennifer Lemon, Anu Goenke and Rachel Kneen
39. A travelling salesman, slowing down Sam Nightingale
40. A nasty, rare, and ironic unwanted effect Hema Bentur and Rachel Kneen
41. A rash diagnosis Fiona McGill
42. Seizure in a seasoned traveller Alastair Miller
43. Stiff and stuporous Stephen Ray and Rachel Kneen
44. Just unlucky or is some detective work needed? Rachel Kneen and Jennifer Lemon
45. A case of missing the point Benedict Michael
46. Have I got a monster in my body? Jennifer Lemon and Rachel Kneen
47. Not quite so reserved anymore Sam Nightingale
48. Thought we had seen the last of this? Jennifer Lemon and Rachel Kneen
49. Sick as a swine Sophie Miller, Benedict Michael and Tom Solomon
50. A tic in the (voice) box Katie Rose and Rachel Kneen
51. A forgotten itch Graham A. Powell
52. Brain on fire Jay Panicker and Charlotte F. Dougan
53. Fitting and febrile – getting complicated Stephen Ray and Rachel Kneen
54. A pain in the leg Tom Solomon
55. A wobbly toddler Katie Rose and Rachel Kneen
56. Popping problems Derek J. Sloane and Nicholas J. Beeching
57. A bad headache and an awkward eye Scott Williams, Tom Solomon and Laura A. Benjamin
58. Drowsy with difficulty swallowing Tom Solomon
59. Two types of shaking Lance Turtle
60. Diagnosing a headache: follow your gut feeling Katherine C. Dodd
61. Floppy and falling when back home Lance Turtle and Rachel Kneen

Tom Solomon is the Chair of Neurology and Director of the Institute of Infection and Global Health at the University of Liverpool. As head of the Brain Infections Group, he is working to reduce the global burden of neurological disease Benedict D. Michael is a NIHR Academic Clinical Lecturer at the University of Liverpool, and currently working in the Centre for Immunology and Inflammatory Disease, Harvard Medical School, studying neuroimmunological processes in viral encephalitis; for which he has been awarded the BMA Vera Down grant. Alastair Miller is a Consultant in Acute Medicine for North Cumbria University Hospitals Trust, and an Honorary Senior Lecturer in the Institute of Infection and Global Health at the University of Liverpool. Until recently he was a consultant in infectious disease at Liverpool with a special interest in neurological infection. Rachel Kneen is a Consultant Pediatric Neurologist at Alder Hey Children's Hospital, Liverpool, and an Honorary Senior Lecturer in the Institute of Infection and Global Health at the University of Liverpool.