Infective Encephalitis LAST UPDATED:

18TH JUNE 2019

MICROBIOLOGY / INFECTIONS
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Encephalitis is inflammation within the substance of the central

nervous system.

Infective Agents
Herpes simplex virus (most common cause)
Temporal lobe is most frequently affected
Virus replication in neurons, followed by the oedema
associated with the inflammatory response accounts for
the haemorrhagic necrosis and space-occupying nature
of this form of the disease
Varicella zoster virus
Cytomegalovirus
Arbovirus
Mumps
Measles

Clinical Disease
Fever
Headache
Neck stiffness
Impaired consciousness
Focal neurological signs
Seizures

Diagnosis
Lumbar puncture
 Viral encephalitis leads to a lymphocytosis with normal
CSF/plasma glucose ratio
Elevated CSF to serum antibody ratios indicate CSF
infection with the respective organism
PCR analysis of CSF can be used to diagnose most viral
infections
Blood FBC, biochemistry, film, serology and cultures
CT/MRI head may demonstrate focal lesions
EEG

Treatment
Treatment of herpes simplex encephalitis is with intravenous
aciclovir