Open AccessTransient parkinsonism associated with acute Legionnaires’ disease
Author(s) -
Johnny Su,
Steven Honsberger,
Muhammad Husnain
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
bmj case reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.231
H-Index - 26
ISSN - 1757-790X
DOI - 10.1136/bcr-2019-233152
Subject(s) - medicine , parkinsonism , dysarthria , chills , emergency department , pneumonia , anesthesia , surgery , radiology , disease , psychiatry
A 44-year-old right-handed man with a 5-day history of non-productive cough associated with subjective fevers/chills and night sweats presented to the emergency department with slurred speech. Radiography and urine antigen testing confirmed the diagnosis of Legionella pneumonia The hospital course was complicated by acute hypoxic respiratory failure that required 7 days of invasive mechanical ventilation. Following extubation, the patient had dysarthria and developed new parkinsonism features. Brain imaging revealed a non-specific focal lesion in the left frontal lobe of unclear significance. Ciprofloxacin was decided as the final antibiotic of choice for its favourable central nervous system profile. Levodopa-carbidopa was initiated to help activate the basal ganglia. The patient had complete resolution of pneumonia and transient parkinsonism. He was able to regain most of his baseline functional status with intensive rehabilitation.