Outcome and Sequelae of Infectious Encephalitis
Kathryn A. Kvam, J.‐P. Stahl, Felicia C. Chow, Ariane Soldatos, Pierre Tattevin, James J. Sejvar, Alexandra Mailles
Abstract
Acute encephalitis is a severe neurological syndrome affecting physical, cognitive, and behavioral functions.It is associated with substantial mortality during the acute stage of the disease, particularly in low-and middle-income countries.Most survivors do not recover fully and often require extended posthospitalization rehabilitation and care to regain their functional abilities.A recent initiative of the World Health Organization targeted encephalitis as a public health priority due to its wide extent of neurological signs, the consequences on performing the activities of daily living, and the burden of sequelae both for patients and their caregivers. 1 The disability-adjusted life years related to encephalitis, regardless of the cause, was estimated to 4.8 million in 2019. 2 The mean case fatality rate (CFR) for infectious encephalitis in the USA has been estimated to be 6%. 3The disease also exerts a high cost burden on the healthcare system due to long hospitalizations and frequent admissions to intensive care units. 3any different infectious agents such as viruses, bacteria, parasites, and fungi can cause encephalitis, sometimes with indistinguishable clinical presentations.Although the patient's history, examination findings, and unique environmental or travel exposures can