An eight-year-old girl in rural Wisconsin has chills,headache,and fever and reports having been bitten by mosquitoes.How would you confirm your diagnosis of arboviral encephalitis?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

ELISA test for IgM antibodies is the standard diagnostic test for arboviral encephalitis. It detects the presence of specific antibodies produced by the patient's immune system in response to the virus. A positive result indicates recent exposure to the virus and confirms the diagnosis. Brain biopsy and Gram stain of cerebrospinal fluid are invasive and not necessary for the diagnosis. Examination of local mosquitoes can help in identifying the virus type and tracking the spread of the disease, but it does not confirm the diagnosis in an individual patient. Complement fixation test for IgG antibodies is less sensitive and less specific than ELISA test for IgM antibodies and is therefore not the best choice.

An Eight-Year-Old Girl in Rural Wisconsin Has Chills,headache,and Fever and Reports