Most common cause of meningo encephalitis in children is:

Ans. (b) i.e. Enterovirus Ref. Nelson 18/r, n 2521 Viral Meningoencephalitis An acute inflammatory process involving the meninges and to a variable extent brain tissue. Etiology: Enterovirus (MC), Arbovirus, HSV-1, Mumps (in regions where mumps vaccine is not used), EBV, CMV Clinical features - Headache (most common), usually frontal or generalized. In adoloscent retrobulbar pain is frequent - Fever, nausea, vomiting Lab finding CSF shows mild mononuclear pleocytosis with absence of bacteremia Detection of viral RNA or DNA by PCR is diagnostic Treatment - Symptomatic in all cases except in HSV meningoencephalitis where acyclovur is beneficial Note: -- Enterovoirus is the MC cause of viral meningitis in mumps immunized population -- Enterovirus meningitis is paicularly prevalent in infants < 3 months of age. Frequently implicated serotypes include Enterovirus 70 71, coxsackie 4, 6, 7, 9, 11