A Meningoencephalitis Syndrome Characterized by Eosinophilia of the Cerebrospinal Fluid. Report of Two Cases

Abstract

Summary An outbreak on Saipan of a meningoencephalitis-like syndrome characterized by pleocytosis of eosinophils in the cerebrospinal fluid and the peripheral blood, and the summary of two cases is reported. The clinical features include fever, signs of meningeal irritation, lethargy, malaise, and asthenia, with a self limited course of 2 to 3 weeks. The earlier observations of Gleysteen at Ponape and of Sison in the Philippines, along with the present report suggests that there is a yet undefined disease in the tropical Pacific islands which is characterized by signs of central nervous system infection and marked by the presence of large numbers of eosinophils in the peripheral blood and the cerebrospinal fluid.