Enteroviral Encephalitis Leading to a Locked-in State

Millions of children are infected by enteroviruses each year, usually exhibiting only mild symptoms. Although enteroviruses are a common cause of community-acquired aseptic meningitis, enteroviral meningitis usually has a benign course. We describe a 14-year-old patient with enteroviral meningoencephalitis diagnosed by polymerase chain reaction. Her level of consciousness declined rapidly after hospital admission and resulted in a locked-in state. Although she experienced slow neurologic improvement, residual neurologic deficits remain. Although there is a general awareness of the characteristics of enteroviral encephalitis, this case report is significant in presenting a case of unusual severity and sequelae. To our knowledge, this is the first published report of an enterovirus encephalitis leading to a locked-in-state. (J Child Neurol 2001;16:864—866).