DOI: 10.36347/sjmcr.2021.v09i03.031

Pages: 307-310

The encephalopathy/encephalitis syndrome with reversible lesion of the splenium of the corpus callosum (MERS) is a clinical-radiological syndrome, associating encephalopathy and a specific radiological image. This syndrome is more frequently described in the Asian population and has been associated with certain viral and bacterial infections, including influenza. In this case, patients usually present general symptoms before the onset of neurological symptoms. We report the case of a 06-year-old child who presented a flu-like syndrome associated with dysarthria and ataxia then a disorder of consciousness. The cerebral CT scan showed a hypodensity of the splenium of the corpus callosum and the cerebral MRI showed an increased diffusion with restriction of the ADC of the same region. The influenza A virus was isolated in the nasopharyngeal swab. The neurological symptoms of MERS can be highly variable, mainly in the paediatric population. Clinicians should be aware of this disorder and include it in the differential diagnosis of encephalopathic patients, especially during the flu season. The prognosis is generally good with complete neurological and radiological resolution within few days or weeks, as observed in our patient.