Acute encephalitis syndrome is a global problem. World Health Organization has defined AES as a ‘child of any age, at any time of year with the acute onset of fever and a change in mental status (including symptoms such as confusion, disorientation, coma, or inability to talk) and/or new onset of seizures (excluding simple febrile seizures)’.1 AES can be caused by bacterial, viral infections, fungal, parasitic, and spirochetal infections. The etiology varies depending on geography and season. Common causes of AES in Indian sub-continent include acute bacterial meningitis (pyogenic meningitis), Scrub typhus meningoencephalitis, severe sepsis, viral infections such as herpes, Japanese encephalitis, enterovirus, influenza virus, parainfluenza virus, enteroviruses, Chandipura virus, Nipah virus, coronavirus and dengue virus; and post infectious causes like Acute disseminated Encephalomyelitis.
SEP