Fillatre P, Crabol Y, Morand P, Piroth L, Honnorat J, Stahl JP, Lecuit M. Infectious encephalitis: Management without etiological diagnosis 48hours after onset.
Med Mal Infect 2017;
47:236-251. [PMID:
28314470 PMCID:
PMC7131623 DOI:
10.1016/j.medmal.2017.02.004]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2017] [Accepted: 02/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Introduction
The etiological diagnosis of infectious encephalitis is often not established 48 hours after onset. We aimed to review existing literature data before providing management guidelines.
Method
We performed a literature search on PubMed using filters such as “since 01/01/2000”, “human”, “adults”, “English or French”, and “clinical trial/review/guidelines”. We also used the Mesh search terms “encephalitis/therapy” and “encephalitis/diagnosis”.
Results
With Mesh search terms “encephalitis/therapy” and “encephalitis/diagnosis”, we retrieved 223 and 258 articles, respectively. With search terms “encephalitis and corticosteroid”, we identified 38 articles, and with “encephalitis and doxycycline” without the above-mentioned filters we identified 85 articles. A total of 210 articles were included in the analysis.
Discussion
Etiological investigations must focus on recent travels, animal exposures, age, immunodeficiency, neurological damage characteristics, and potential extra-neurological signs. The interest of a diagnosis of encephalitis for which there is no specific treatment is also to discontinue any empirical treatments initially prescribed. Physicians must consider and search for autoimmune encephalitis.
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