Acute cerebellar ataxia in enteric fever.

Acute cerebellar ataxia as an isolated neurological manifestation of enteric fever is very rare. Three cases of acute cerebellar ataxia associated with enteric fever are reported. The diagnosis of enteric fever was confirmed by positive blood culture, strongly positive Widal test and rising antibody titres. The major clinical features were rapid development of gait ataxia, limb ataxia and dysarthria. None of the patients had altered sensorium. The cerebellar involvement was noticed on the second or third day of fever which progressed for one to two days. The symptoms remained static for one to two weeks and thereafter all the patients showed gradual recovery in a few weeks. Acute onset of cerebellar lesion, self limiting course and cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis suggest par- or post-infectious demyelinating pathology in these patients, who were not related to each other.