Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis following influenza vaccination

INTRODUCTION: Approximately 5% of cases of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis are preceded by vaccination within 1 month prior to symptom onset. This occurs rarely following influenza immunization. METHODS: Case presentation and literature review. RESULTS: A 75-year-old woman developed acute disseminated encephalomyelitis within 3 weeks of receiving the seasonal influenza vaccine. The patient subsequently passed away, despite treatment with methylprednisolone and plasma exchange therapy. CONCLUSIONS: The literature on post-influenza vaccination encephalomyelitis is limited. The majority of published cases had favourable outcomes following treatment with intravenous methylprednisolone. Given the limited number of cases, no incidence estimates have been published.