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Case Reports
. 2018 Jan 10;6(1):7.
doi: 10.3390/diseases6010007.

Neurological Respiratory Failure

Mohan Rudrappa  1 , Laxmi Kokatnur  2 , Oleg Chernyshev  3
Affiliations
Case Reports

Neurological Respiratory Failure

Mohan Rudrappa et al. Diseases. .

Abstract

West Nile virus infection in humans is mostly asymptomatic. Less than 1% of neuro-invasive cases show a fatality rate of around 10%. Acute flaccid paralysis of respiratory muscles leading to respiratory failure is the most common cause of death. Although the peripheral nervous system can be involved, isolated phrenic nerve palsy leading to respiratory failure is rare and described in only two cases in the English literature. We present another case of neurological respiratory failure due to West Nile virus-induced phrenic nerve palsy. Our case reiterates the rare, but lethal, consequences of West Nile virus infection, and the increase of its awareness among physicians.

Keywords: West Nile virus; diaphragmatic palsy; respiratory failure.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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