Affections neurologiques en milieu tropical

Tropical neurological diseases refer to those disorders of the nervous system that can be found both exclusively or preferentially in tropical settings. These disorders are either related to the ecosystem or to the socioeconomic or cultural conditions of the populations in these areas. This article includes two parts: first, the neurological infectious diseases in tropical settings, which are related to populations' lifestyles such as promiscuity, personal or collective hygiene or inadequate preventive measures. Some infections, commonly found in immunocompetent patients, are increasing due to the spread of HIV in these regions. Other infections are found exclusively in tropical areas related to regional ecosystems, such as viral infections (Japanese encephalitis, dengue and yellow fevers), parasitic (cerebral malaria, Human African Trypanosomiasis) or mycological infections. Second, epilepsy and stroke, because of their frequency and their aetiological factors, are two disorders that are worth noting in tropical settings. Tropical neuromyelopathies linked with HTLV-1 infection, and other deficiencies or toxic causes of neurological disorders are reviewed in the second chapter.