Diseases 2018, 6(1), 7; https://doi.org/10.3390/diseases6010007
Neurological Respiratory Failure
1
Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Louisiana State University Health Science Center, Shreveport, LA 71115, USA
2
Department of Neurology, Louisiana State University Health Science Center, Shreveport, LA 71115, USA
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 4 December 2017 / Revised: 29 December 2017 / Accepted: 5 January 2018 / Published: 10 January 2018
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. View Full-TextKeywords:
West Nile virus; diaphragmatic palsy; respiratory failure
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited (CC BY 4.0).

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Rudrappa, M.; Kokatnur, L.; Chernyshev, O. Neurological Respiratory Failure. Diseases 2018, 6, 7.
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