Jean David Pommier, Chris Gorman, Yoann Crabol, Kevin Bleakley, Heng Sothy, Ky Santy, Huong Thi Thu Tran, Lam Van Nguyen, Em Bunnakea, Chaw Su Hlaing, Aye Mya Min Aye, Julien Cappelle, Magali Herrant, Patrice Piola, Bruno Rosset, Veronique Chevalier, Arnaud Tarantola, Mey Channa, Jerome Honnorat, Anne Laure Pinto, Sayaphet Rattanavong, Manivanh Vongsouvath, Mayfong Mayxay, Sommanikhone Phangmanixay, Khounthavy Phongsavath, Ommar Swe Tin, Latt Latt Kyaw, Htay Htay Tin, Kyaw Linn, Thi Mai Hung Tran, Philippe Pérot, Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy, Nguyen Hien, Phuc Huu Phan, Philippe Buchy, Philippe Dussart, Denis Laurent, Marc Eloit, Audrey Dubot-Pérès, Olivier Lortholary, Xavier de Lamballerie, Paul N Newton, Marc Lecuit
BACKGROUND: Encephalitis is a worldwide public health issue, with a substantially high burden among children in southeast Asia. We aimed to determine the causes of encephalitis in children admitted to hospitals across the Greater Mekong region by implementing a comprehensive state-of-the-art diagnostic procedure harmonised across all centres, and identifying clinical characteristics related to patients' conditions. METHODS: In this multicentre, observational, prospective study of childhood encephalitis, four referral hospitals in Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar recruited children (aged 28 days to 16 years) who presented with altered mental status lasting more than 24 h and two of the following minor criteria: fever (within the 72 h before or after presentation), one or more generalised or partial seizures (excluding febrile seizures), a new-onset focal neurological deficit, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) white blood cell count of 5 per mL or higher, or brain imaging (CT or MRI) suggestive of lesions of encephalitis...
July 2022: Lancet Global Health