Acute Encephalitis Syndrome

Acute Encephalitis Syndrome is one of the deadly brain diseases generally characterised as acute onset of fever and change in mental condition like mental confusion, coma, delirium, disorientation, etc., and can lead to considerable illness and mortality. Children, generally below the age of 15, are mostly affected by this disease.

Viruses are the main decisive agents while some other sources such as bacteria, fungus, parasites, chemicals and spirochetes have also been noticed as the cause of this encephalitis. Japanese encephalitis virus is known to be the prime cause of AES. The story of AES is somehow the same as that of the Japanese encephalitis. In 1973, the first outbreak of Japanese encephalitis was reported in Bankura district of West Bengal. Later on, the frequent outbreak of AES has been reported leading to colossal death. The causative agent of AES varies with season and geographical location.

Recently, an epidemic of acute encephalitis syndrome has broken out in 5 north Bihar districts, mostly in Muzaffarpur. It is also known as Chamki Bukhar, as called by the locals. Children generally eat unripe litchi fruit on an empty stomach, which is the root cause because unripe fruit contains the toxins hypoglycin A and methylene-cyclopropylglycine (MCPG), which cause vomiting if taken in the large amount. Hypoglycin A is naturally occurring amino acid found in unripened litchi that causes severe vomiting while MCPG is a poisonous compound found in litchi seeds.

The government should take the right initiatives to educate and improve the hygiene of people living in encephalitis prone zones. These people should be provided with proper nutrition because most of the victims belong to the lower economic strata of the country.

Thanks.