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| Year : 2007 | Volume
: 25
| Issue : 2 | Page : 143-145 |
Dengue viral infections as a cause of encephalopathy
GN Malavige1, PK Ranatunga2, SD Jayaratne3, B Wijesiriwardana4, SL Seneviratne5, DH Karunatilaka6
1 Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Jayawardenapura, Colombo 8, Sri Lanka
2 Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children, Colombo 8, Sri Lanka
3 Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Jayawardenapura; Colombo, Sri Lanka
4 Colombo South Teaching Hospital, Kalubowila, Sri Lanka
5 Department of Clinical Immunology, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, OX3 9DS, United Kingdom
6 MRC Human Immunology Unit, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, OX3 9DS, United Kingdom
Correspondence Address:
G N Malavige
Department of Microbiology,, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Jayawardenapura, Colombo 8
Sri Lanka
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/0255-0857.32722
The aim of this study was to determine the clinical characteristics and poor prognostic factors associated with high mortality in dengue encephalopathy. Fifteen patients with confirmed dengue infections, who developed encephalopathy, were recruited from two tertiary care hospitals in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Among the factors that contributed to encephalopathy were: Acute liver failure (73%), electrolyte imbalances (80%) and shock (40%). Five (33.3%) patients developed seizures. Disseminated intravascular coagulation was seen in five (33.3%). Secondary bacterial infections were observed in 8 (53.3%) of our patients. The overall mortality rate was 47%.
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