Abstract
Neurological complications of infectious diseases are associated with high rates of
morbidity and mortality. It is imperative that neurologists be up-to-date on current
developments including typical and atypical presentations of neurological infections
in travelers, diagnostic and treatment recommendations, and emerging pathogen resistance
patterns to avoid fatal outcomes and long-term sequelae. This article will address
concepts of emerging and reemerging infectious diseases, and will provide updates
on the neurological manifestations of select emerging and reemerging infections, including
Ebola virus, bacterial meningitis, enterovirus 71, Zika virus, cerebral malaria, and
Japanese encephalitis. Emerging and reemerging neurotropic infectious diseases, including
Zika virus, have recently been major global health threats. Factors contributing to
the emergence of infectious diseases include closer contact with zoonoses, population
growth in cities, globalization, environmental changes, and the rise in antibiotic
resistance. Serotype replacement of bacterial meningitis, the possibility of viral
persistence in the central nervous system in Ebola virus, antibiotic resistance of
malaria, and the evolution of neurovirulent strains of Zika virus display some of
the developing challenges that accompany various neurotropic infectious diseases.
Neurologists should be aware of the factors contributing to the emergence and reemergence
of neurotropic infectious diseases. As emerging and reemerging neurotropic infectious
continue to be a major global health security threat, clinicians should be aware of
the risks to travelers and current guidelines on prevention and management.
Keywords
emerging neurological infections - neurotropic infections in travelers - central nervous
system infections - encephalitis - meningitis
