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Of 378 patients, 16 (4.2%) were infected with dengue viruses, compared with four (1.4%) of 286 hospital controls (odds ratio [95% CI] 3.1 [1.7-5.8]). Five additional dengue positive patients with CNS abnormalities were studied subsequently. No other cause of CNS infection was identified. Seven infections were primary dengue, 13 secondary, and one was not classified. Ten patients had dengue viruses isolated or detected by PCR, and three had dengue antibody in the CSF, 12 of the 21 had no char acteristic features of dengue on admission. The most frequent neurological manifestations were reduced consciousness and convulsions. Nine patients had encephalitis. No patient died, but six had neurological sequelae at discharge. Phylogenetic analysis of the four DEN-2 strains isolated mapped them with a DEN-2 strain isolated from a patient with dengue haemorhagic fever, and with other strains previously isolated in southern Vietnam. In dengue endemic areas patients with encephalitis and encephalopathy s hould be investigated for this infection, whether or not they have other features of the disease. |
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