St. louis encephalitisA83.4

Author:Prof. Dr. med. Peter Altmeyer

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Last updated on: 29.10.2020

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Synonym(s)

St. Louis encephalitis

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HistoryThis section has been translated automatically.

Webster, 1936

DefinitionThis section has been translated automatically.

viral encephalitis (arbovirosis) caused by the St. Louis encephalitis virus

PathogenThis section has been translated automatically.

  • St. Louis encephalitis viurus, belonging to the Flaviviridae family, from the special group with Japanese encephalitis, Murray Valley encephalitis, West Nile fever and Ilheus fever.
  • Transmission by mosquitoes (Culex and Aedes species).

Occurrence/EpidemiologyThis section has been translated automatically.

  • Main distribution area: North America (Eastern states: urban; Western states: rural); in areas with irrigation management or permanent flooding zones. The virus has also been isolated in South and Central America, but without comparable epidemiological and human significance as in North America.
  • Hosts are birds and bats. Humans are false hosts.
  • Between 1960 and 2005, about 5000 cases were registered in the USA.

ManifestationThis section has been translated automatically.

Older people with a severe course and high mortality (22%) are mainly affected.

Clinical featuresThis section has been translated automatically.

  • Incubation period: 4-21 days.
  • Inapperent and mild courses are common. Symptoms are often limited to headache and mild fever.
  • Severe courses: high fever, lymphadenopathy, meningism, disorientation, tremor, seizures (especially in children), tremor, spastic or flaccid paralysis.

DiagnosisThis section has been translated automatically.

  • Virus cultivation.
  • Virus DNA detection: RT-PCR.
  • Antigen detection (immunofluorescence microscopy) in cerebrospinal fluid and urine.
  • Antibody detection (ELISA) in CSF and serum.

Complication(s)This section has been translated automatically.

  • High lethality rate of 22% for older people.
  • Healing is possible with neurological residuals such as gait and speech disorders.
  • Frequent complications in elderly people: heart, circulation and lungs.

TherapyThis section has been translated automatically.

Symptomatic.

ProphylaxisThis section has been translated automatically.

Mosquito protection and control.

LiteratureThis section has been translated automatically.

  1. Reisen W, Brault AC (2007) West Nile virus in North America: perspectives on epidemiology and intervention. Plague Manag Sci 63: 641-646
  2. Travel WK (2003) Epidemiology of St. Louis encephalitis virus. Adv Virus Res 61: 139-183

Authors

Last updated on: 29.10.2020

Author: Prof. Dr. med. Peter Altmeyer