West Nile encephalitis mimicking herpes encephalitis.
A male with a febrile illness, altered consciousness, and seizures was diagnosed with meningoencephalitis. The suspected etiology was herpes simplex virus on the basis of a focal seizure at presentation, and he was treated with acyclovir until this pathogen was excluded. The patient made a complete recovery. Because of a West Nile fever epidemic in Israel at the time, serology tests for West Nile virus were performed; results were positive. This case highlights the diagnostic problems in West Nile fever. The literature is discussed in brief.
Rimon
Ayelet
A
Department of Pediatrics C, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Petah Tikva, Israel.
Straussberg
Rachel
R
Amir
Jacob
J
D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D020803:Encephalitis, Herpes Simplex / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014901:West Nile Fever / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*