Herpes simplex acute encephalitis in children

ABSTRACT

to determine the incidence of HSV as a cause of acute sporadic viral encephalitis in Syria, and to describe any significant clinical, laboratory, and radiological findings that may help to indicate the causative agent of encephalitis. Materials and this was a prospective study which included 95 patients [69.5% male, 30.5% female] aged between 2 months and 12 years [average 3.4 years] who were admitted to Children University from September 1, 1998 to August 30, 2000 with a possible diagnosis of encephalitis. Laboratory, biological, and radiological investigations were done. the percentage of herpetic encephalitis was 35.7% [34 children]. The important clinical findings were fever [97%], altered mental state [97%], seizures [88%], and focal neurological signs [47%]. Cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis was present in 97% [lymphocytes= 90%] with mild elevation in CSF protein [47%], and normal CSF glucose. Electroencephalogram showed abnormal findings in 79%. CT scan showed abnormal findings in 87%. the study demonstrated that HSV is a significant causative agent of acute sporadic encephalitis in Syria. There was no statistical difference between the two groups of Herpes [HSE] and non-Herpes [Non-HSE] except that localized convulsions, severe deterioration in level of consciousness, localized neurological signs, morbidity, and mortality were higher in the HSE group