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17 - Encephalitis and meningitis
from Part II - Neurological diseases
- By Ettore Beghi
Albert Hofman, Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam, Richard Mayeux, Columbia University, New York
Book:

Investigating Neurological Disease

Published online:

29 September 2009

Print publication:

30 August 2001, pp 230-245
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Summary

Almost all the studies on encephalitis and aseptic meningitis were hospital-based and some of them were limited to children and adolescents. The incidence of encephalitis ranged from 1 to 7.4 cases per 100 000 per year in patients of all ages and from 1 to 16.7 cases per 100 000 per year in children and adolescents. The age- and sex-adjusted incidence of aseptic meningitis was 10.9 per 100 000. Encephalitis and meningitis can be caused by many etiological agents. Arboviral, enteroviral, and parainfectious encephalitides are the commonest viral infections. Bacterial meningitis is generally a more severe disease, with a case-fatality ratio approximating 100% in untreated patients. The control of viral infections of the central nervous system (CNS) is mostly based on prevention measures. Excessive prescribing of antibacterial agents tends to increase the chance of serious adverse drug reactions and the development of drug resistance.