Clinical Spectrum and Outcome of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome in Children with Scrub Typhus: A Series of Eight Cases from India.

Scrub typhus has reemerged with a different geographical distribution and varied clinical presentation like acute encephalitis syndrome (AES), which is a less known entity in scrub typhus. In this case series, we studied the clinical profile and outcome of eight patients who presented with AES and a positive scrub serology without any other identifiable cause of encephalopathy. All these patients had fever, altered sensorium, and nuchal rigidity, while seizures were present in six (75%) patients and papilledema in two (25%) patients. Complications like shock, pulmonary edema, and gastrointestinal (GI) bleed were observed in three (37%) patients. All patients except for one responded well to the treatment and recovered completely. Scrub typhus should be suspected early in patients presenting with AES. Kaur P, Jain R, Kumar P, Randev S, Guglani V. Clinical Spectrum and Outcome of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome in Children with Scrub Typhus: A Series of Eight Cases from India. Indian J Crit Care Med 2020;24(9):885-887.