Four children suspected to be suffering from acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) have been brought to Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) in the last seven days. The syndrome is a group of clinical neurological manifestations caused by a wide range of viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites, chemicals and toxins.

The hospital's paediatrics department head, A.K. Jaiswal, said the children have been asked to undergo necessary tests, but have not been admitted. "The disease has not reached an epidemic situation. We have asked the patients to undergo Elisa and other necessary tests," Jaiswal said.

The hospital has kept a 14-bed encephalitis ward ready to treat patients.

"We have reserved two beds in the paediatrics intensive care unit," said Jaiswal. "The necessary drugs, including paracetamol and intravenous fluids, have been kept ready. While paracetamol helps to control a patient's fever, intravenous fluids are given to control seizure problems."

He added: "Persistent high fever, unconsciousness and convulsion are some of the symptoms of AES. Patients should undergo necessary tests if they have fever for seven days."

At Anugrah Narayan Magadh Medical College and Hospital (ANMMCH) in Gaya, eight children suspected to have been suffering from AES have died in the last 14 days. A health department team comprising doctors from PMCH, Nalanda Medical College and Hospital, Unicef officials and WHO members visited Gaya on Saturday to take stock of the situation.

Jaiswal, who was also a part of the team, said: "Scrub typhus infection has been detected in nearly 30 per cent samples of the total number of suspected AES cases across the state. The infection wasn't found in previous AES cases. The discovery might help in treating AES as there are drugs to treat the infection. ANMCH needs a polymerase chain reaction machine that can diagnose AES within 24 hours."