CSF lactate.

Lactate is produced from anaerobic glycolysis, which occurs in most tissues in the human body. Blood lactate is tested in most physiologically unwell patients in the Emergency Department and helps to guide treatment and prognosis. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) lactate, however, is not often measured.

Causes of encephalitis and differences in their clinical presentations in England: a multicentre, population-based prospective study.

Background: Encephalitis has many causes, but for most patients the cause is unknown. We aimed to establish the cause and identify the clinical differences between causes in patients with encephalitis in England.

Methods: Patients of all ages and with symptoms suggestive of encephalitis were actively recruited for 2 years (staged start between October, 2005, and November, 2006) from 24 hospitals by clinical staff.