title: Childhood encephalitis in Crete, Greece.
abstract: This study included all 18 cases of children hospitalized for encephalitis in the referral university hospital of Heraklion, Crete, Greece, during the 5-year period from 2000 to 2004. Encephalitis was attributed to viral infection (echovirus, herpes simplex virus 1, varicella-zoster virus, cytomegalovirus, and influenza A) in eight children and to bacteria (Mycoplasma pneumoniae, group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus, and Rickettsia typhi) in a further five cases. Multiple hyperintense brain lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were associated with a severe clinical presentation but not with a guarded long-term outcome. Five children still presented with mild to moderate sequelae after 1.5 to 5.3 (median 4.0) years. Our findings confirm the elimination of measles, mumps, and rubella-associated encephalitis in the postvaccine era. MRI appeared to be of great diagnostic value. Although no fatalities were observed, deficits did persist in several patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Anestis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ilias
authors.forename: Emmanouil
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Galanakis
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Raissaki
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kalmanti
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies