Retrospective analysis of epidemiological and clinical features of 79 patients with forest encephalitis / 中华传染病杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To study the epidemiological and clinical features of the patients with forest encephalitis. Methods The epidemiological, clinical and laboratory data and prognosis of forest encephalitis patients with forest encephalitis virus-specific antibody positive were retrospectively analyzed. Results The onsets of 79 patients with forest encephalitis were mainly in May to August. Fifty-six of them were forestry workers, 9 were forest beekeepers, 8 were inhabitants with experience of getting potherb and 6 were tourists. Of the 79 patients, cases with mild, moderate and severe type were 5, 35 and 39, respectively; 7 cases died and 13 presented sequelae, such as head drooping, paralysis of the upper extremities, epilepsy, trembling and psychonosema. All 79 patients presented fever, headache, nausea and vomiting; and some of them presented other symptoms including 32 (40.5%) conscious disturbance, 74 (93.7%) neck rigidity, 74 (93.7%) meningeal irritation sign positive, 20 (25.3%) convulsion, 38 (48.1%) complexion flush, conjunctiva and oral mucosa congestion, 19 (24.1%) neck, shoulder, upper extremity muscle and limbs paralyzed, 4 (5.1%) respiratory muscle paralysis and 3 (3.8%) dysphagia. The abnormal laboratory findings included that 60 (80.0%) elevated cerebrospinal fluid pressure, 66 (88.0%) increased cell counts, 65 (82.3%) diffused and scattered slow waves on electroencephalograms, 8 (10.1%) liver dysfuncted and 18 (22.8%) elevated cardiac muscle enzymes. Conclusions Forest encephalitis is characterized by hyperpyrexia and central nervous system damage. The morbidity of severe patients is high, and the sequelae are common as well, to which we should pay much attention.