Failure of interferon alpha-2b in a patient with West Nile virus meningoencephalitis and acute flaccid paralysis.

WNV infection can cause meningoencephalitis (MNE) and acute flaccid paralysis (AFP). Both syndromes are associated with high morbidity and mortality. Interferon alpha-2b (IFN-alpha-2b) inhibits WNV replication in vitro. To date, 5 patients with WNV-CNS disease have recovered neurologic function with IFN-alpha-2b. We report the first failure of IFN-alpha-2b in the treatment of WNV-MNE-AFP.