Year: 2026 | Month: January | Volume: 16 | Issue: 1 | Pages: 110-118
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijhsr.20260114
Neurological Manifestations and Outcomes of Chikungunya Virus Infection in Children
Ratakonda Sruthi1, Basavaraja G V2, Usha B.K3*, Sanjay K S4, Pragalatha Kumar5
1Fellow, Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Christian Medical College, TNMGR University, Vellore, India.
2 Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health, RGUHS University, Bengaluru, India.
3Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Medical College and Research Institute, RGUHS University, Bengaluru, India.
4 Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health, RGUHS University, Bengaluru, India.
5 Professor, Department of Pediatrics, ESIC MC & PGIMSR, RGUHS University, Bengaluru, India.
Corresponding Author: Dr. Usha B.K
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Chikungunya Virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-borne arbovirus belonging to the family Togaviridae. Epidemics continue to occur with varied presentation in children. There have been few studies on the neurological impact of chikungunya in children.
Objective: To study the clinical profile of various neurological manifestations associated with CHIKV infections and their outcomes.
Methods: This is a retrospective study conducted in a tertiary care hospital. Study subjects includes all children between age of 1 month to 18 years with proven chikungunya infection. A positive diagnosis of CHIKV was made by testing for CHIK IgM in serum or anti-CHIKV IgM in the CSF, and by fulfilling the Encephalitis Consortium criteria for encephalitis. We assessed neurological sequelae during follow up.
Results: During the period from May 2013 to May 2021, 103 patients with CHIKV infection were diagnosed, and 32 patients met the inclusion criteria. On analysis of results, neurological manifestations occurred between 1-8 days after onset of fever. Majority of the cases belong to probable encephalitis (18). Severe form of infection is seen in Probable CHIKV encephalitis with prolonged hospital stay, requiring ventilator support and complications like seizures, cranial nerve palsy, visual disturbances. Less severe forms of infection are seen among possible encephalitis and Non encephalitis CHIKV associated CNS disease (NECACD).
Conclusion: CHIKV can cause neurological symptoms in children within 1-8 days, and should be considered as a potential cause of encephalitis. Early identification of CHIKV cases is crucial because of the economic burden they cause on developing tropical countries.
Key words: chikungunya, encephalitis, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, neurological infection. .