A systematic review of brain imaging findings in neurological infection with Japanese encephalitis virus compared with Dengue virus.

Pichl, Thomas, Wedderburn, Catherine J, Hoskote, Chandrashekar, Turtle, Lance ORCID: 0000-0002-0778-1693 and Bharucha, Tehmina (2022) A systematic review of brain imaging findings in neurological infection with Japanese encephalitis virus compared with Dengue virus. International journal of infectious diseases : IJID : official publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases, 119. pp. 102-110.

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2022.03.010

Abstract

<h4>Objectives</h4>Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) and dengue virus (DENV) represent important causes of encephalitis in Asia. Brain imaging may provide diagnostic clues about the etiology of infectious encephalitis. We performed a systematic review of brain imaging findings in Japanese encephalitis (JE) and DENV neurological infection (dengue) to identify characteristic lesions.<h4>Methodology</h4>Five databases were searched. We included all study types and imaging techniques. Laboratory methods were categorized using diagnostic confidence levels. Imaging data were synthesized, and focal findings are presented as proportions for JE and dengue and for subgroups based on diagnostic confidence.<h4>Principal findings</h4>Thalamic lesions were the most reported magnetic resonance imaging finding in both diseases but appeared to occur more often in JE (74% in 23 studies) than dengue (29.4% in 58 studies). In cases diagnosed with antigen or nucleic acid tests, thalamic lesions were reported frequently in both JE (76.5% in 17 studies) and dengue (65.2% in 23 studies).<h4>Significance</h4>The results suggest that thalamic lesions frequently occur in both JE and dengue encephalitis. No radiological findings were found to be pathognomonic of either disease. Although brain imaging may support a diagnosis, laboratory confirmation with highly specific tests remains crucial.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	encephalitis, dengue, Japanese encephalitis, neuroimaging, magnetic resonance imaging, x-ray computed tomography
Divisions:	Faculty of Health and Life Sciences Faculty of Health and Life Sciences > Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	05 Jul 2022 08:32
Last Modified:	18 Jan 2023 20:56
DOI:	10.1016/j.ijid.2022.03.010
Open Access URL:	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2022.03.010
Related URLs:	Author Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3157786