Enteroviral encephalitis leading to a locked-in state

Millions of children are infected by enteroviruses each year, usually exhib iting only mild symptoms. Although enteroviruses are a common cause of comm unity-acquired aseptic meningitis, enteroviral meningitis usually has a ben ign course. We describe a 14-year-old patient with enteroviral meningoencep halitis 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 characterist ics of enteroviral encephalitis, this case report is significant in present ing a case of unusual severity and sequelae. To our knowledge, this is the first published report of an enterovirus encephalitis leading to a locked-i n-state.