Post-vaccinal encephalitis: causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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[Symptoms of postvaccinal encephalitis
The first symptoms of post-vaccination encephalitis usually appear on the 7-12th day after vaccination, sometimes at earlier times. Postvaccinal encephalitis often occurs in the primary vaccinated children (especially with late vaccination), less often with revaccinations. The disease develops sharply, with an increase in body temperature to 39-40 ° C. There is a headache, vomiting, often loss of consciousness, generalized convulsions. Sometimes meningeal symptoms are revealed. Central paralysis develops (mono-, hemi or paraplegia), peripheral pareses occur less frequently. The defeat of the extrapyramidal system is accompanied by the appearance of hyperkinesia, movement coordination disorders. In the cerebrospinal fluid, pressure increase, a small lymphocytic cytosis (or a normal content of cellular elements), a slight increase in the protein and glucose content is determined.
Currently, with the introduction of new vaccines, this variant of complications is practically not found.
The course is usually favorable, in most cases there is a complete recovery. Single-phase, multi-phase, return flow variants are distinguished. Sometimes, for a while, pareses may persist, but they gradually regress. The peculiarity of encephalitis in rabies vaccination is the possibility of manifestation in the form of acute encephalomyelo polyuriculoneuritis, which is sometimes very rapidly progressive (according to the type of ascending paralysis of Landry) and which can lead to a lethal outcome due to the occurrence of bulbar disorders.
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Treatment of post-vaccinal encephalitis
Treatment includes the use of nonspecific antiviral drugs, interferons, pathogenetic agents such as vascular, neurometabolites, dehydration drugs, and symptomatic drugs aimed at arresting fever and convulsive syndrome.