Dengue Encephalitis - Case Series

Abstract

Dengue fever is one of the most common arboviral infections, and it is the world's fastest-spreading tropical illness. According to the World Health Organization, fifty million cases of clinical dengue infections occur each year, posing a significant public health hazard, primarily in Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific. Since the first report of Dengue infection with acute encephalopathy was reported in 1976, there have been reports from numerous Southeast Asian nations. We present three cases of dengue fever from southern India that presented with encephalitis-like symptoms in this report. The diagnosis of dengue was supported by serum dengue antibody levels. Three patients were examined, and it was discovered that the neurological findings of each patient varied. One of the patients had typical MRI brain findings, primarily involving the bilateral thalami, the other's computed tomography scan revealed cerebral edema, and the third patient had no significant neurological findings at all. We present this case because, to prevent negative outcomes and improve patient quality of life through early detection, dengue encephalitis should be considered when making a differential diagnosis of fever with decreased sensory function, particularly in countries like India where dengue is endemic. Key words: dengue encephalopathy, dengue, dengue hemorrhagic fever.