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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]