Acute encephalitis: Beyond infection

• Main Authors: Sangeetha Yoganathan, Ebor Jacob James
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2015-01-01
• Series: Journal of Pediatric Critical Care
• Subjects: acute; encephalitis; autoimmune; children; picu; cns infections; meningoencephalitis
• Online Access: http://www.jpcc.org.in/article.asp?issn=2349-6592;year=2015;volume=2;issue=2;spage=41;epage=49;aulast=Yoganathan

Acute encephalitis is one of the common neurological illnesses requiring admission of children in the intensive care unit. In developing countries, acute encephalitic presentation in children often results from various infections including viral, bacterial, fungal and protozoal. With the advent of better diagnostic modalities and advances in critical care management, more cases of encephalitis beyond infection have been identified. Autoimmune encephalitis, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, vasculitis, paraneoplastic, toxin mediated and metabolic disorders are the non-infectious causes that attribute for encephalitis and encephalopathy in children. Early identification and treatment of these disorders can lead better neurological outcome. In tins review, the various common etiologies for non-infectious encephalitis, diagnosis and management of these disorders are discussed briefly.