Journal article
The aetiology, clinical presentations and outcome of febrile encephalopathy in children in Papua New Guinea
G Anga, R Barnabas, O Kaminiel, N Tefuarani, J Vince, P Ripa, M Riddell, T Duke
Annals of Tropical Paediatrics | Published : 2010
Abstract
Background: Febrile encephalopathy, defined as fever, seizures and/or altered consciousness, is a common presentation in children in tropical developing countries. Outcomes range from complete recovery through varying degrees of neurological disability which slowly resolve or remain permanent to death from either the acute illness or complications. Whilst bacterial meningitis accounts for a proportion of children affected, the aetiology in many remains unclear but includes malaria and probably viral encephalitis. Aim: To understand the aetiology, presentation and outcome of febrile encephalopathy in children in Papua New Guinea. Methods: Children aged between 1 month and 12 years presenting ..
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Funding Acknowledgements
We thank Carmel Taylor, Public Health Virology, Queensland Health Forensic and Scientific Services, for doing the flavivirus testing and David Leslie and Janet Fyfe, Victorian Infectious Disease Research Laboratories (VIDRL), for undertaking TB culture and TB PCR. We are grateful to Richard Duncan (WHO, PNG) and Heath Kelly, VIDRL, for support. We thank WHO, Papua New Guinea, the WHO Western Pacific Regional Office, and the R. E. Ross Trust (Victoria) for funding support.