All issues > Volume 10(4); 1967

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1967;10(4):205-218. Published online April 30, 1967.

A Clinical Observation of the Epidemic Encephalitis During 1964 in Pusan, Korea

Sung Taek Kim¹

¹Dept, of Pediatrics, Medical School,Pusan National University,Pusan,Korea

Abstract

With several kinds of laboratory studies including blood chemistry and electrocardiograms, the author had clinically observed 78 cases of the epidemic encephalitis, which were admitted in P.N.U, Hospital during the epidemic summer of 1964. 1)Age and sex distribution: Among the 78 cases, boys were twice than girls as 52 cases and more than 50 per cent of all were between 5 to 8 years of age, of which 5 years of age group were the majority. 2)In the most of cases the onset was usually sudden and abrupt accompanying with the meningeal signs, but there were some unusual or not typical cases which were manifested only sustained high fever without other symptoms and signs. 3)In general, there were a moderate degree of leukocytosis in acute stage, showing an average of 15,000 cells per cubic millimeter and it lasted relatively long until 20th days of illness without secondary infections. The erythrocyte sedimentation rates were abnormally increased in 79 per cent during acute stage and in 57 per cent (16/28 cases) the serum total cholesterol concentration showed hypocholesterolemia under lOOmg. % during acute stage, but it returned to normal limits except for one case in the recovery period. And the serum alkaline phosphatase activity was slightly increased in 28. 2 per cent (11/39 cases) above the normal limits during acute stage. But that of recovery stage was also within normal limits except for one case. 4)The mean cell count of cerebro-spinal fluids was about 100 per cubic millimeter and its differential count showed a prominent polymorphonuclear cells during acute stage, while a prominent lymphocytic element in the recovery stage, which fits what is previously reported. The alkaline phosphatase activity in cerebro-spinal fluids varied from 0 to 1.3 S.J.R. Units in 30 cases, showing an average 0.38 S.J.R. Units during acute stage and in the recovery stage, the mean was 0.16 S. J.R. Units ranging from 0 to 0. 5 S.J.R. Units. On the other hand, in the control of 5 normal children, the mean was 0.05 S.J.R. Units ranging from 0 to 0.18 S.J.R. Units. 5)The electrocardiograms of 13 cases in acute stage and 15 cases of recovery period were analyzed. In the former, there, were 3 cas的 of arrhythmias, 1 case of mild incomplete right bundle branch block, and 1 case of right atrial hypertrophy. There were, however, no arrhythmias in the latter, but 1 case of myocardial anoxia or damage and 1 case of mild right bundle branch block were seen. Although about a half of the cases represented right axis deviation, it seemed to have no significance considering of its physiologic possibilities under the age of 7 years. In conclusion, no characteristic changes of E.C.G. were found in the epidemic encephalitis during both acute and recovery period.

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