Management of acute viral encephalitis in Brazil
Braz. j. infect. dis
;
13(6): 433-439, Dec. 2009. ilus
Article
in English
| LILACS
| ID: lil-546013
ABSTRACT
The appropriate management of acute viral encephalitis is a challenge. Clinical picture includes general symptoms and a wide range of neurological signs. Etiological diagnosis cannot be performed only by clinical means and depends on neuroimaging studies and cerebrospinal fluid molecular analyses. It is recommended since some of these viruses are treatable and that the prognoses of these infections depend on the prompt administration of antiviral and/or immunomodulatory drugs. The management of acute viral encephalitis in Brazil has some peculiarities. First, the etiological distribution of the viral encephalitis may differ from what is found in other countries. Some viruses, such as dengue virus, are more common in Brazil than in developed countries while others, like West Nile virus, are not found here. Second, there are some regions in Brazil where neuroimaging and laboratorial methods are not available, and a clinical-based decision is the only therapeutic approach. As most of the guidelines in the literature are based on complimentary methods, it is relevant to establish an alternative approach compatible with the Brazilian health system reality. The goal of this study was to review the recent advances in the field of the acute viral encephalitis, to discuss the diagnosis and the treatment of the main etiologies of acute viral encephalitis found in Brazil, and to propose a viable guideline for the evaluation of the suspected acute viral encephalitis cases in the emergence room in Brazil.
Full text:
Available
Index:
LILACS (Americas)
Main subject:
Antiviral Agents
/
Encephalitis, Viral
Type of study:
Diagnostic study
/
Practice guideline
/
Prognostic study
Limits:
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
South America
/
Brazil
Language:
English
Journal:
Braz. j. infect. dis
Journal subject:
Communicable Diseases
Year:
2009
Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Brazil
Institution/Affiliation country:
Federal University of Minas Gerais/BR
/
School of Health Sciences of Santa Casa de Vitória/BR
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