Neurological sequelae after encephalitis associated with herpes simplex virus in children: systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Encephalitis is an inflammation of the cerebral parenchyma manifested by acute symptoms such as fever, headaches, and other neurological disorders. Its etiology is mostly viral, with herpes simplex virus being a frequent etiological agent in children. The development of neurological sequelae is a serious outcome associated with this infection. OBJECTIVE: To assess the general prevalence and types of neurological sequelae in children after a case of acute viral encephalitis caused by HSV. METHODS: This systematic review and meta-analysis was developed following the PRISMA guidelines. The literature search was carried out in the MEDLINE, Embase, SciELO, LILACS, Cochrane, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Web of Science databases. Studies were included of children with confirmed HSV infection and that presented a description of neurological sequelae associated with that infection. For the meta-analysis of general prevalence and of the types of neurological sequelae a random effects model was used. RESULTS: Of the 2827 articles chosen in the initial search, nine studies were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. The general prevalence of neurological sequelae was 50.7% (95% CI 39.2–62.2). The most frequent sequelae were related to mental disability, with a 42.1% prevalence (95% CI 30–55.2); on the other hand, the least frequent sequelae were those related with visual impairment, with a 5.9% prevalence (95% CI 2.2–14.6). The included studies presented regular quality and substantial heterogeneity. CONCLUSION: Even with antiviral therapy, half of patients will develop some type of disability. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12879-023-08007-3.