Dengue encephalitis in pediatrics: case series in a hospital in Tucumán, Argentina

Dengue is a vector-borne viral disease with a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations. Nervous system involvement is one of its severe forms. This is mainly due to three mechanisms: metabolic alterations, autoimmune reactions, and direct invasion of the virus. Encephalitis is one of the most frequent and usually presents with fever, decreased level of consciousness, convulsions, headache, focal neurological deficits, behavioral alterations, nausea, and vomiting. Three cases of pediatric patients with serological confirmation of dengue and clinical compatibility with encephalitis are presented.