A CASE OF CHILDHOOD SHIGELLOSIS WITH MUTISM

Bacillary dysentery, an acute infection caused by various strains of S higella, is characterized by abdominal pain, tenesmus, and diarrhea wi th mucus, pus and blood. Neurologic manifestations including meningism us, delirium and convulsions may accompany the infection. We describe a thirteen-year-old girl who presented with headache, convulsion and l oss of consciousness at the onset and developed diarrhea with blood an d pus after hospitalization. The diagnosis of shigellosis was based on clinical data and isolation of the microorganism in the stool specime n. After improved physical functions, the patient developed mutism tha t continued for two days in the course of her illness, despite having no history of neurologic or psychological problems. She was diagnosed by a psychiatrist with organic mental syndrome NOS (Not otherwise Spec ified) according to DSM-III-R criteria. None of the conditions that ma y cause mutism could be confirmed. This is the first reported case of mutism accompanying shigellosis.