Cytokines Interleukin 4 (IL-4) and Interleukin 10 (IL-10) Gene Polymorphisms as Potential Host Susceptibility Factors in Virus-Induced Encephalitis

Yu, Ying; Chen, Ying; Wang, Feng-Ling; Sun, Jing; Li, Hai-Jun; Liu, Jia-Ming

Virus-induced encephalitis is a life-threatening disorder characterized by inflammation of brain tissue. The inflammation associated with brain parenchyma is linked to and a consequence of viral infections [1] [2] [3] . Virus-induced encephalitis is associated with misdiagnosis and delays in recognition, which may have devastating consequences for patients [4] . Additionally, the efficacy of therapies is highly time-dependent due to high morbidity and mortality rates [5, 6] . Enterovirus is the main etiological agents of virus-induced encephalitis, followed by mumps, rubella, and Japanese encephalitis virus. However, the lack of unified guidelines in the assessment and management of the illness is a serious limitation [2, 7] . The most common symptoms and neurological signs of virus-induced encephalitis are fever, reduced consciousness, seizures, and focal neurological deficits [8] [9] [10] . Patients with virus-induced encephalitis suffer from various degrees of renal damage [11] . Additionally, virus-induced encephalitis may cause serious brain damage and bleeding; therefore, prompt diagnosis and early treatment are crucial to prevent the disease from developing, and delayed treatment often results in poor prognosis [1] . In patients who are able to survive the virus-induced encephalitis, impairments of neurologic defect and cognitive, emotional, and behavioral function impairments are common [12] . However, chronic encephalitis has been reported as being uncommon, possibly owing to its viral origins, which may result in the disease being exhibited in patients that have compromised immunity, as well as in healthy individuals [13] . Thus, difficulties are faced in correctly diagnosing patients and subsequently providing prompt therapies for individuals with virus-induced encephalitis [14] . Consequently, it is important to further explore the details and mechanisms involved. At present, increasing numbers of scientific and clinical studies are being initiated to further understand virus-induced encephalitis.