Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis

Key Features

• Arenavirus infection of CNS

• Main reservoir is house mouse, but other animals may harbor virus

• Virus is spread from animal to human by infected oronasal secretions, urine, or feces

• Person-to-person spread is rare

Clinical Findings

• Symptoms are biphasic with a prodromal phase followed by a meningeal phase

• Fever, chills, headache, myalgia, cough, and vomiting, occasionally with lymphadenopathy and maculopapular rash in prodromal phase

• Headache, vomiting, lethargy, and variably present meningeal signs in the meningeal phase

• Obstructive hydrocephalus is a rare but serious complication

• Arthralgias can develop late

Diagnosis

• Leukocytosis or leukopenia

• Cerebrospinal fluid lymphocytic pleocytosis common

• Complement-fixing antibodies appear during second week of infection and may aid in diagnosis

Treatment

• No specific antiviral therapy

• Supportive measures