Caracterización clinicoepidemiológica de los menores de 15 a？os afectados por la epidemia de meningoencefalitis viral en Cienfuegos

a clinical and epidemiological description of 1162 patients under 15 years affected by the viral meningoencephalitis occurred in the year 2000 in cienfuegos province is presented. almost all the patients at admission had less than 500 cells in their cerebrospinal fluid. 67 % of cases were admitted to a hospital before 48 hours of onset of symptoms, 91 % of patients showed symptoms for 2 days and the total length of clinical manifestations was short. fever, vomiting and headache were the most common symptoms; nuchal rigidity was present in 27 % of cases whereas examination results were normal in 60 %. the length of stay at hospital was up to 2 days in 73 % of patients and there was no death from this disease.