title: Neurological complications and pandemic influenza A (H1N1) virus infection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report on a different clinical course of pandemic influenza A (H1N1) infection among children who were neurologically impaired before the acute onset of the disease, in comparison with children who were neurologically intact.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a period of 6 months, six children with neurological complications associated with pandemic A (H1N1) infection were identified in a single institution paediatric emergency room. The children suffered from seizures or altered mental status during pandemic A (H1N1) infection. All children underwent extensive clinical and laboratory assessment. Three children were neurologically impaired before the acute onset of the H1N1 infection. The other three were neurologically intact before the acute viral infection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all six patients, pandemic influenza A (H1N1) viral RNA was detected in nasopharyngeal specimens but none in the cerebrospinal fluid. Five children fully recovered or returned to baseline at discharge. The clinical course of the disease and recovery were different between the children who were neurologically impaired before the acute viral infection and those who were neurologically intact.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is possible that children with various neurological conditions are in a higher risk to develop further neurological complications during pandemic influenza A (H1N1) infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Mount Scopus Campus, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Omari
authors.forename: Oded
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Breuer
authors.forename: Eitan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kerem
authors.forename: Itai
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Berger
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000821:virology; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000821:virology; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology; D058873:Pandemics; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012640:Seizures / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral