Patient characteristics and comparisons between patients with or without a confirmed viral aetiology.

Note: Data are Number (%) of patients, denominators may vary slightly; continuous variables were reported as median, interquartile range; Diag: diagnosed, undiag: undiagnosed;$the 6 patients with bacterial DNA detected in CSF alone or together with EBV DNA were not included in this patient group. As comparison found not statistical difference in clinical outcomes and patient characteristics between patients with possible viral diagnoses and those with no diagnoses (data not shown) except for CSF WCC: median 170 cells/mm3 (IQR 70–305) vs. 54 (IQR 11–160), respectively (P = 0.03), clinical data of these two groups were combined and compared against patient group of definitive or probable viral diagnosis;*of whom one was treated with intravenous acyclovir on admission and one had oral acyclovir 5 days after admission before being treated with intravenous acyclovir.#full recovery was based on clinical evaluation at hospital discharge and did not include cognitive assessment, learning, etc.Patient characteristics and comparisons between patients with or without a confirmed viral aetiology.