Which of the following are correct neurological manifestations of Japanese encephalitis?
Under normal circumstances, Japanese encephalitis (JE) is a viral infection caused by the Japanese encephalitis virus. Its neurological manifestations include meningeal irritation, muscle spasms, encephalitis symptoms, nervous system damage, intellectual impairment, and others as detailed below:
1. Meningeal irritation
Patients with JE typically exhibit obvious neck stiffness, making it difficult to bend or flex the neck. Pain may occur when lifting the head. Additionally, patients may experience symptoms such as headache, vomiting, and fever.
2. Muscle spasms
JE patients may develop mild muscle rigidity, with higher muscle tone than normal individuals, frequently leading to muscle spasms. Infants especially may display chorea-like movements. Other manifestations include muscle weakness and nystagmus.
3. Encephalitis symptoms
JE causes inflammation of brain tissue, so patients may present typical encephalitis symptoms such as headache, fever, neck stiffness, and altered consciousness. Infants and young children may instead show irritability, drowsiness, vomiting, or poor appetite.
4. Nervous system damage
JE can lead to nervous system damage, including meningitis, encephalomyelitis, or encephalitis. These conditions may result in muscle rigidity, spasms, seizures, limb weakness, or paralysis. JE may also impair neural reflexes, balance, and coordination.
5. Intellectual impairment
JE often presents significant encephalitis symptoms such as impaired consciousness, delirium, psychiatric abnormalities, somnolence, and intermittent loss of consciousness, all resulting from viral infection. Patients' mental status may change, including disorientation, disorganized speech and thinking, hallucinations, and delusions. Additional symptoms may include pain, difficulty breathing, seizures, and muscle spasms.
It should be noted that specific symptoms of JE may vary among individuals and depending on the severity of infection. If any symptoms occur, prompt medical attention is recommended.
