BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Japanese Encephalitis (JE) is an acute encephalomyelitis characterized by abrupt fulminant illness with fever, convulsions, signs of increased intracranial pressure and focal neurologic sings. It is major cause of viral encephalitis in Asia. The exact prevalence is difficult to determine especially in a developing country like the Philippines where specific tests like the Japanese Encephalitis Virus IgM, is costly and not readily available in all medical center laboratories.

CASE SERIES: The 4 pediatric confirmed cases of Japanese Encephalitis who all initially presented with fever, seizures and behavioral changes. All of them had a history of travel to endemic areas of JE in the Philippines. Japanese virus ELISA test IgM showed positive results in all patients. Cranial CT scans showed predilection of involvement in the areas of the thalamus, basal ganglia and the brainstem. All of the patients survived but had significant neurologic deficits on discharge.

Encephalitis Japanese ; Encephalitis ; Encephalitis, Viral ; Encephalitis, Arbovirus ; Pediatrics