[Neurological outcome associated with influenza viral infection]

Several neurological complications associated with Influenza virus infection are known as a febrile convulsion, polyneuritis, meningitis, encephalomyelitis and encephalopathy. Influenza encephalopathy is the most severe complication associated with Influenza. It may be classified into several subtypes according to the clinical symptoms and laboratory data. In this review, Reye's syndrome, acute necrotizing encephalopathy and hemorrhagic shock and encephalopathy syndrome (HSE) are described in detail. The 1995 influenza pandemia in Nagasaki prefecture was markedly neurovirulent and lethal. Twelve cases developed influenza encephalopathy, and the mortality rate between them was 50%. Almost all of them had never be inoculated of influenza vaccine before.