All issues > Volume 26(6); 1983

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1983;26(6):545-552. Published online June 30, 1983.

Clinical and Immunologic Studies on Epidemic Encephalitis.

Cheul Woo Park¹, Kwang Rhun Koo¹, Song Soo Moon¹, Ho Seung Yoo¹, Chang Soo Ra¹

¹Department of Pediatrics，College of Medicine, Chosun University Kuang ju，Korea

Abstract

Epidemic encephalitis in the Korea is caused by arbovirus (Japanese encephalitis virts). And this acute illness occurs annually during the late summer and early autumn months and is more prevalent among children under 15 years with high mortality. 130 cases of epidemic encephalitis were hospitalized at the Department of Pediatrics, Chosun University Hospital, during the period of August-October, 1982. Authors investigated hemaggulutination inhibition (HI) antibody titer, serum immunoglobulin levels and the effects . . of dexamethasone on serum electlrolyte levels of the patients with epidemic encephalitis. The results were as follows 1) The age was distributed between 2〜 16 years and male to female ratio was 2.1 : 1. 2) The common presenting symptoms on admission were high fever(96.9%), headache (70.0%), disturbance of consciousness(68.5%), vomiting(66.2%) and generalized convulsion <41.5%). 3) HI antibody titers; among 130 cases of epidemic encephalitis, 34 cases(26%) showed significant rise of HI antibody titer (1 : ^160) in a single acute serum which was obtained within 7 days after the onset. And in the measurement of HI antibody titer using paired sera of the patients with epidemic encephalitis(18 cases), all cases showed fourfold or more rise in titers within or at 2 weeks after the first serum collection. 4) Serum immunoglobulin levels; IgG, IgA and IgM levels of 51 cases of proved epidemic encephalitis were 1,562±325 mg/dl, 219±73 mg/dl and 220±62 mg/dl respectively, and these levels were markedly elevated in compaired with those levels of the control group (p<〔0.01). 5) The effects of dexamethasone on serum electrolyte levels (Na, Cl and K) were studied in 11 cases of epidemic encephalitis: serum electrolyte levels were remained within normal ranges before and after dexamethasone therapy (0.5 mg and 1.0 mg/kg of bo(?y weight/day in three devided doses every 8 hours) during the first three days after the admission, and no differences observed between two groups.

Keywords :Epidemic encephalitis; HI antibody;immunoglobulin; dexamethasone.