Skip to main content
Archives of Disease in Childhood logoLink to Archives of Disease in Childhood
. 1970 Oct;45(243):611–623. doi: 10.1136/adc.45.243.611

Neurological, Electroencephalographic, and Virological Findings in Febrile Children

Sheila J Wallace, Helen Zealley
PMCID: PMC1647552  PMID: 4320122

Abstract

Investigations were made of 78 febrile children, 53 with fits and 25 without fits. 53% of the children with fits had viral illnesses. Severe fits were commoner in these children than in those with negative viral findings. Permanent neurological damage and prolonged EEG abnormalities were found significantly more often in children with, than in those without, viral disease, whether or not fits had occurred. The long-term implications are discussed. In addition to viral agents already described as causing neurological complications, the following organisms were found in association with central nervous system disorder: adenovirus 7, respiratory syncytial virus, parainfluenza 2, and C. burnetii (Q fever).

Full text

PDF
611

Images in this article

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. AGER E. A., FELSENSTEIN W. C., ALEXANDER E. R., WYMER M. E., SABOTTA E., ASHBY V. AN EPIDEMIC OF ILLNESS DUE TO COXSACKIE VIRUS GROUP B, TYPE 2. JAMA. 1964 Jan 25;187:251–256. doi: 10.1001/jama.1964.03060170005001. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. ARTENSTEIN M. S., CADIGAN F. C., Jr, BUESCHER E. L. EPIDEMIC COXSACKIE VIRUS INFECTION WITH MIXED CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS. Ann Intern Med. 1964 Feb;60:196–203. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-60-2-196. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. BELL M., CROOKS J., MOHAMED S. D., STEPHENS S. A. GROUP B COXSACKIE VIRUSES IN NORTH-EAST SCOTLAND. Scott Med J. 1964 Nov;9:491–494. doi: 10.1177/003693306400901106. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. BRADSTREET C. M., TAYLOR C. E. Technique of complementfixation test applicable to the diagnosis of virus diseases. Mon Bull Minist Health Public Health Lab Serv. 1962 May;21:96–104. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. BREWIS E. G. Recent experience of encephalitis in childhood. Br Med J. 1954 Jun 5;1(4874):1298–1302. doi: 10.1136/bmj.1.4874.1298. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Blackwood W., Dudgeon J. A., Newns G. H., Phillips B. M. Case of encephalitis due to herpes simplex. Br Med J. 1966 Jun 18;1(5502):1519–1521. doi: 10.1136/bmj.1.5502.1519. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. CHANOCK R. M., COOK M. K., FOX H. H., PARROTT R. H., HUEBNER R. J. Serologic evidence of infection with Eaton agent in lower respiratory illness in childhood. N Engl J Med. 1960 Mar 31;262:648–654. doi: 10.1056/NEJM196003312621303. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Crandell R. A., Dowdle W. R., Holcomb T. M., Dahl E. V. A fatal illness associated with two viruses: an intermediate adenovirus type (21-16) and influenza A2. J Pediatr. 1968 Apr;72(4):467–473. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(68)80335-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. FLEWETT T. H., HOULT J. G. Influenzal encephalopathy and postinfluenzal encephalitis. Lancet. 1958 Jul 5;2(7036):11–15. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(58)90003-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. GIBBONS J. L., MILLER H. G., STANTON J. B. Para-infectious encephalomyelitis and related syndromes; a critical review of the neurological complications of certain specific fevers. Q J Med. 1956 Oct;25(100):427–505. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. GIBBS F. A., GIBBS E. L., CARPENTER P. R., SPIES H. W. Electroencephalographic abnormality in "uncomplicated" childhood diseases. J Am Med Assoc. 1959 Oct 24;171:1050–1055. doi: 10.1001/jama.1959.03010260006002. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. GROSSMAN H. J., GIBBS E. L., SPIES H. W. Electroencephalographic studies of patients having poliomyelitis with no clinical. evidence of encephalitic involvement. Pediatrics. 1958 Dec;22(6):1148–1152. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. HOLLIDAY P. B., Jr Pre-eruptive neurological complications of the common contagious diseases, rubella, rubeola, roseola, and varicella. J Pediatr. 1950 Feb;36(2):185–198. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(50)80204-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Heathfield K. W., Pilsworth R., Wall B. J., Corsellis J. A. Coxsackie B5 infections in Essex, 1965, with particular reference to the nervous system. Q J Med. 1967 Oct;36(144):579–595. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Kennedy C., Wanglee P. Encephalitis: a variable syndrome in response to viral infection. Pediatr Clin North Am. 1967 Nov;14(4):809–817. doi: 10.1016/s0031-3955(16)32057-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. LENNOX W. G. Significance of febrile convulsions. Pediatrics. 1953 Apr;11(4):341–357. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. LEPOW M. L., CARVER D. H., WRIGHT H. T., Jr, WOODS W. A., ROBBINS F. C. A clinical, epidemiologic and laboratory investigation of aseptic meningitis during the four-year period, 1955-1958. I. Observations concerning etiology and epidemiology. N Engl J Med. 1962 Jun 7;266:1181–1187. doi: 10.1056/NEJM196206072662301. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. MEYER H. M., Jr, JOHNSON R. T., CRAWFORD I. P., DASCOMB H. E., ROGERS N. G. Central nervous system syndromes of "vital" etiology. A study of 713 cases. Am J Med. 1960 Aug;29:334–347. doi: 10.1016/0002-9343(60)90029-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. McCONKEY B., DAWS R. A. Neurological disorders associated with Asian influenza. Lancet. 1958 Jul 5;2(7036):15–17. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(58)90004-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. McKendrick G. D. Encephalitis. Lancet. 1968 Jun 8;1(7554):1248–1248. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(68)91944-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Miller J. D., Ross C. A. Encephalitis. A four-year survey. Lancet. 1968 May 25;1(7552):1121–1126. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(68)90188-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Moura Ribeiro V., Moura Ribeiro R. Evolutive aspects in the EEGs of patients with measles and no neurological signs. Dev Med Child Neurol. 1968 Apr;10(2):175–179. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8749.1968.tb02865.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Neligan G., Prudham D. Norms for four standard developmental milestones by sex, social class and place in family. Dev Med Child Neurol. 1969 Aug;11(4):413–422. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8749.1969.tb01459.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. PAMPIGLIONE G. PRODROMAL PHASE OF MEASLES: SOME NEUROPHYSIOLOGICAL STUDIES. Br Med J. 1964 Nov 21;2(5420):1296–1300. doi: 10.1136/bmj.2.5420.1296. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. SKOELDENBERG B. ASEPTIC MENINGITIS AND MENINGOENCEPHALITIS IN COLD-AGGLUTININ-POSITIVE INFECTIONS. Br Med J. 1965 Jan 9;1(5427):100–102. doi: 10.1136/bmj.1.5427.100. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Stern H. Aetiology of Central Nervous System Infections During Prevalence of Poliovirus and Coxsackie Virus. Br Med J. 1961 Apr 15;1(5232):1061–1066. doi: 10.1136/bmj.1.5232.1061. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Williams H., MacArthur P., Bell E. J., Lamb R. Paralysis in echovirus-3 infection. Lancet. 1968 Feb 24;1(7539):425–425. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(68)91393-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Wilson J. Ataxia in childhood. Dev Med Child Neurol. 1968 Jun;10(3):388–390. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8749.1968.tb02904.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Archives of Disease in Childhood are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES