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Influenza Encephalopathy: What Is Encephalopathy?

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Abstract

Influenza encephalopathy is defined as an acute onset of consciousness disorders secondary to an influenza virus infection and shows neurological symptoms such as impaired consciousness, convulsions, and abnormal behavior. It commonly affects younger children, but an increasing number of cases have recently been reported in adults. The fatality related to influenza encephalopathy has decreased to 7%; however, the rate of neurologic sequelae is still high. Influenza encephalopathy cannot be detected in the brain and can cause diffuse brain edema without infiltrating the inflammatory cells. The levels of several inflammatory cytokines increase in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid, particularly in severe cases, which can contribute to the pathogenesis of influenza encephalopathy. Diagnosis is based on the development of neurological symptoms such as consciousness disturbance or convulsions, as well as the findings in electroencephalograms or brain imaging. Influenza encephalopathy is classified into several types based on its pathogenesis, and characteristic clinical courses and brain imaging findings were found to be different in each type of the classification. Treatment of influenza encephalopathy includes specific treatments such as methylprednisolone pulse therapy, in addition to supportive care that stabilizes the general condition of the patient. Epidemiologic analysis of compiled cases, development of biomarkers for the diagnosis or classification of influenza encephalopathy, and research into the effectiveness of specific treatment methods are now expected.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan

    Mitsuru Tsuge, Masato Yashiro & Hirokazu Tsukahara

  2. Department of Pediatrics, Kawasaki Medical School, Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan

    Naoki Ohno

Authors
  1. Mitsuru Tsuge
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  2. Masato Yashiro
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  3. Naoki Ohno
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  4. Hirokazu Tsukahara
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mitsuru Tsuge .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Infectious, Respiratory, and Digestive Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan

    Jiro Fujita

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Tsuge, M., Yashiro, M., Ohno, N., Tsukahara, H. (2021). Influenza Encephalopathy: What Is Encephalopathy?. In: Fujita, J. (eds) Influenza. Respiratory Disease Series: Diagnostic Tools and Disease Managements. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-9109-9_12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-9109-9_12

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-15-9108-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-15-9109-9

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