Transverse myelitis due to trypanosomiasis in a middle aged Tanzanian man
- Department of Internal Medicine, Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre, Tumaini University, Moshi, Tanzania
- Correspondence to: Dr D K Murphy Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9, Ireland; kevdanmurphy{at}oceanfree.net
- Received 1 September 2005
- Accepted 2 November 2005
- Revised 23 October 2005
Abstract
We report the case of a middle aged Tanzanian man who developed a spinal cord syndrome over 6 weeks, along with a mild encephalopathy. Investigations ruled out the usual major causes of such a syndrome in our setting in northern Tanzania. Examination of his cerebrospinal fluid revealed trypanosomes, and he made a slow but dramatic improvement after a full course of suramine and melarsoprol. We postulate that he had a transverse myelitis due to African trypanosomiasis, a rare and barely recognised cause.
Footnotes
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Competing interests: none declared
