Japanese Encephalitis: Examination

A comprehensive clinical examination is the basis for selecting further diagnostic steps:

  • General physical examination – including blood pressure, pulse, body temperature, body weight, body height; further:
    • Inspection (viewing).
      • Skin, mucous membranes and sclerae (white part of the eye).
    • Palpation of the cervical spine [meningismus (painful neck stiffness)/increased resistance to movement of the head in the cervical spine].
    • Auscultation (listening) of the heart
    • Auscultation of the lungs
    • Palpation of the abdomen (abdomen) (tenderness?, knocking pain?, coughing pain?, defensive tension?, hernial orifices?, kidney bearing knocking pain?)
  • Neurological examination – vigilance check, strength test, reflex test [due tosymptoms/meningoencephalitis (combined inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) and meninges (meningitis)):
    • Impaired consciousness
    • Seizures
    • Reflex disorders
    • Confusion
    • Behavioral changes
    • Tremor (shaking)
    • Paresis (paralysis)
    • Gait disorders
    • Coma]

Square brackets [ ] indicate possible pathological (pathological) physical findings.