Acute necrotizing encephalopathy of childhood from Eastern Africa

Acute necrotizing encephalopathy leads to devastating neurological sequelae and even death. Clinician should try not to miss this diagnosis especially in the pediatrics whenever there are neurological symptoms due to viral infection.

Acute necrotizing encephalopathy (ANE) is a rare disease affecting the central nervous system. It leads to devastating neurological sequelae with a mortality rate of approximately 30%. Clinicians should have high suspicion whenever there is neurologic deficit and history of viral infections especially involving upper respiratory tract in the pediatric age group.