Teaching NeuroImages: acute cerebellitis caused by Salmonella typhimurium.

Abstract

A 63-year-old woman presented with 24 hours of dysarthria, confusion, and appendicular ataxia preceded by watery diarrhea, without fever, nausea, vomiting, meningeal signs, recent travel, or antibiotic use. She had type II diabetes and gastroesophageal reflux disease (on proton pump inhibitor). She had consumed inadequately cooked beef stew left at room temperature for 24 hours. Blood cultures were positive for Salmonella typhimurium. CSF showed 15 nucleated cells, 72% monocytoid; remainder of CSF was normal. MRI was consistent with cerebellitis (figure). At 3 months, after 3 weeks of IV ceftriaxone, she remained dysarthric with bilateral dysmetria.