Are ESR/CRP ratios helpful in differentiating West Nile encephalitis from non-West Nile virus meningitis/encephalitis?

West Nile encephalitis (WNE) may mimic other acute central nervous system infections in endemic areas. The laboratory diagnosis of WNE often takes several days. We review our recent experience of WNE to determine if the erythrocyte sedimentation rate/C-reaction protein ratio would be helpful in the early/presumptive diagnosis of WNE in hospitalized adults.