Meningoencephalitis and Ventricular Arrhythmia Caused by Yersiniosis

We report on a 19-year-old patient without any immunodeficiency and without a history of significant diseases in whom two seizure attacks as symptoms of meningoencephalitis occurred after he had suffered from abdominal symptoms for a week. Later, we could observe frequent polymorphic ventricular extrasystoles. A massive production of anti-Yersinia IgM, IgG and IgA as a sign of an acute infection could be found, although we were not able to detect the microbe itself with culturing methods. After targetted antibiotic treatment, the patient fully recovered within two weeks and could be discharged from hospital without clinical abnormalities and an almost normalised cell count in the cerebrospinal fluid. Possible ways of infection are mice which the patient kept as pets and his work in the sewer system. The present case reminds us to think of uncommon infectious agents even in young patients without a predisposition but unusual symptoms and/or potentially relevant anamnestic data.