ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the Influenza Virus. It says that there are three types of influenza virus, influenza A, B, and C and is associated with various lesions in the Central Nervous System(CNS) that have poor prognosis, including influenza-associated encephalitis/encephalopathy (IAE), Reye's syndrome, and acute necrotizing encephalopathy (ANE). This chapter analyzes rare conditions like myelitis caused by influenza virus and even more seldom, autoimmune diseases elicited by influenza such as Guillain-Barr+¬'s syndrome. It says that it has been reported that influenza A and B may directly cause CNS infections. However, detection of influenza virus or viral RNA in the Cerbral Spinal Fluid.(CSF) has indicated penetration of virus into the CNS. This chapter says that however, other researchers considered that the clinical significance of the presence of influenza virus genome in the CSF is questionable and unfortunately, the etiology and pathogenesis of influenza-associated CNS infections remain largely unknown.
