Each week, we identify one top search term, speculate as to what caused its popularity, and provide an infographic on a related condition. If you have thoughts about what's trending and why, feel free to share them with us on Twitter or Facebook!
Clinical Trend of the Week (October 21-27): Viral Encephalitis
Several pieces of news from around the world combined to influence the increased popularity of this week's top search term. Initially, a recent study examined the impact of Nepal's efforts to vaccinate against Japanese encephalitis. The analysis found that the impact was even stronger than first thought, as the incidence rate of the virus dropped 78%, with an estimated 3,011 cases prevented. Meanwhile, a teen in Sacramento, California died from an invasive form of encephalitis. Her death was unexpected, as her diagnosis was originally accompanied by a positive prognosis until massive organ failure set in days later. Finally, a study that screened inhibitors of Japanese encephalitis approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) identified five drugs that blocked viral replication, most notably calcium inhibitors. Although this condition may not be on the minds of most healthcare professionals, the various items of interest resulted in this week's top search term.
For more information on encephalitis, read here.
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Any views expressed above are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of WebMD or Medscape.
Cite this: Ryan Syrek. Clinical Trends for October 2017 - Medscape - Oct 20, 2017.
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