Altered Behavior in Encephalitis: Insights From the Australian Childhood Encephalitis Study, 2013-2018.

ABSTRACT: Altered mental status is a major criterion for a diagnosis of encephalitis to be made with alteration in behavior, a key manifestation of altered mental status. We reviewed all evaluated cases identified by the Australian Childhood Encephalitis study between May 2013 and June 2018, to review the frequency and features of altered behavior (ALB). ALB was reported in >72% of cases of childhood encephalitis in all three major etiologic groups (infectious, immune-mediated, and unknown). The duration of ALB was >7 days in a minority, but significantly more frequent in immune-mediated compared with infectious encephalitis (27 and 10%, respectively, p < 0.01). ALB was most frequently characterized as irritability/agitation (47%), which predominated in children aged <1 year, and among the le

SUBMITTER: Burrell R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8739917 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature