Toscana virus (TOSV) infection may often cause symptomatic meningitides and encephalitides. These usually subside in few days and their sequelae do not last for more than few weeks. We here report the case of a 49-year-old man who developed encephalitis after being bitten by phlebotomi in a region near southern Tuscany, where TOSV is endemic, and who developed postencephalitic seizures and subsequently, persistent personality alterations, characterized by sexually dissolute behavior and aggressiveness. One year after infection, the patient needs a combination of an SSRI antidepressant and a mood stabilizer/anticonvulsant to obtain less than optimal symptom improvement. This points to the need of establishing better preventive measures in Tuscany and nearby regions.
Personality changes after Toscana virus (TOSV) encephalitis in a 49-year-old man: a case report / Serata, Daniele; Rapinesi, Chiara; DEL CASALE, Antonio; Simonetti, Alessio; Mazzarini, Lorenzo; Ambrosi, Elisa; Kotzalidis, Giorgio; C., Fensore; Girardi, Paolo; Tatarelli, Roberto. - In: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE. - ISSN 0020-7454. - STAMPA. - 121:3(2011), pp. 165-169. [10.3109/00207454.2010.537412]
Personality changes after Toscana virus (TOSV) encephalitis in a 49-year-old man: a case report
SERATA, DANIELE;RAPINESI, CHIARA;DEL CASALE, ANTONIO;SIMONETTI, ALESSIO;MAZZARINI, LORENZO;AMBROSI, ELISA;KOTZALIDIS, GIORGIO;GIRARDI, Paolo;TATARELLI, Roberto
2011
Abstract
Toscana virus (TOSV) infection may often cause symptomatic meningitides and encephalitides. These usually subside in few days and their sequelae do not last for more than few weeks. We here report the case of a 49-year-old man who developed encephalitis after being bitten by phlebotomi in a region near southern Tuscany, where TOSV is endemic, and who developed postencephalitic seizures and subsequently, persistent personality alterations, characterized by sexually dissolute behavior and aggressiveness. One year after infection, the patient needs a combination of an SSRI antidepressant and a mood stabilizer/anticonvulsant to obtain less than optimal symptom improvement. This points to the need of establishing better preventive measures in Tuscany and nearby regions.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
