Objective:
To report 4 different neurological complications of H1N1 virus vaccination.
Method:
Four patients (9, 16, 37 and 69 years of age) had neurological symptoms (intracranial hypertension, ataxia, left peripheral facial palsy of abrupt onset, altered mental status, myelitis) starting 4-15 days after H1N1 vaccination. MRI was obtained during the acute period.
Results:
One patient with high T2 signal in the cerebellum interpreted as acute cerebellitis; another, with left facial palsy, showed contrast enhancement within both internal auditory canals was present, however it was more important in the right side; one patient showed gyriform hyperintensities on FLAIR with sulcal effacement in the right fronto-parietal region; and the last one showed findings compatible with thoracic myelitis.
Conclusion:
H1N1 vaccination can result in important neurological complications probably secondary to post-vaccination inflammation. MRI detected abnormalities in all patients.
central nervous system; influenza A virus; H1N1; magnetic resonance imaging; encephalitis after vaccination