Severe neurological forms of influenza in children: report on three cases of severe encephalitis in France

• Published in: Archives de pédiatrie : organe officiel de la Société française de pédiatrie 2014-05, Vol.21 (5), p.514-517
• Main Authors: Dicky, O, Cheuret, E, Berthomieu, L
• Format: Article
• Language: fre
• Subjects: Acyclovir - therapeutic use; Brain - pathology; Brain Death; Brain Edema - diagnosis; Child, Preschool; Combined Modality Therapy; Electroencephalography; Encephalitis, Viral - diagnosis; Encephalitis, Viral - therapy; Fatal Outcome; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain - diagnosis; Infant; Influenza A virus; Influenza B virus; Influenza, Human - diagnosis; Influenza, Human - therapy; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Neurologic Examination; Recurrence; Tomography, X-Ray Computed
• ISSN: 1769-664X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.arcped.2014.02.015

In Western populations, especially in France, most severe influenza cases are observed in adults. Some cases are also recorded in children, especially influenza-associated encephalitis. This is contrary to what occurs in Japan where influenza-associated encephalitis is frequent and severe in children. We describe three cases of influenza-associated encephalitis in children who were hospitalized in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) during the winter of 2012-2013. The patients did not necessarily show the usual symptoms of influenza and were admitted to the PICU because of their severe neurological symptoms. Two children showed multiple-organ failure, as in the cases reported in Japan. The outcomes ranged from small residual signs to death. These cases remind us that the severe influenza complications that are common in Japan are also seen in France.