Clinico-demographic Profile of Childhood Encephalitis: A Hospital based Study

Abstract

Introduction: Childhood encephalitis have numerous etiologies, varied presentations and wide outcome ranges, varying from complete recovery to devastating neurological sequele and death. During 2016 nationwide, 11,651 case and 1301 deaths were reported to the National Vector Borne Diseases Control Programme (NVBDCP), with a case fatality rate (CFR) of around 11%. It is a major health problem in the state of Uttar Pradesh, several districts have been experiencing recurrent episodes of encephalitis with different magnitudes. Under this backdrop, the present study was undertaken to know the clinical profile of children admitted with encephalitis. Materials and Methods: The present study was conducted in the Department of Pediatrics , Shri Ram Murti Smarak Institute of Medical Sciences over a period of 13 months (from January 2021 to February 2022). Total 74 cases of AES were included in this study. This was a prospective, observational, hospital based study. We collected relevant data of the encephalitis cases, analyzed and interpreted accordingly. Results: In the present study, total 74 cases of AES were admitted in pediatrics department during the study period. Out of 84 AES patients, majority 45.9% were between one month to five years of age. Male were 59.5% and female cases were 40.5%. The common presenting clinical manifestations were fever with altered sensorium (100%) and seizures in 100% cases. Most common nerve involved was optic nerve in 81% of the cases. Signs of raised ICP was seen in 35.1% of the cases. Laboratory report, CSF analysis revealed 45.9% patients had normal CSF cell count, 51.3% of the patients had normal protein levels. 62.2% had clinical features for 3 to 7 days prior to presentation. 43.2% patients had altered mental status between 0 to 24 hours prior to admission. About 67.6% patients had GCS <8 and required intubation. CT scan head was performed in 13.5% cases and was abnormal in 40% cases. MRI Brain was done in 29.7% cases and most common area involved was thalamus in 36.4% cases. Conclusion: The common clinical features in childhood encephalitis are fever, altered sensorium and seizures, that was seen in 100% of the cases. CSF cell count was found to be normal and abnormal in almost equal number of cases.