AIM: To investigate extent and nature of visual pathways involvement in children with acute viral encephalitis.

METHODS: Thirty patients(age 5-12 years)with acute viral encephalitis underwent visual evoked potentials(VEP)investigation within 12 days from the appearance of the first signs of disease. Latency and amplitude of P₁₀₀ peak were compared with normative data and between patients with varicella and tick-borne encephalitis.

RESULTS: There were no significant differences between children with these two forms of encephalitis. In the whole group in 40% of the cases signs of the visual cortex dysfunction(P₁₀₀ amplitude lowering)and mild slowing of the conductivity along the visual pathways(P₁₀₀ latency lengthening)were seen. In 3% of the cases retrobulbar optic neuritis was diagnosed.

CONCLUSION:The results indicate that visual pathway have good endurance to the viral encephalitis anatomically, but functionally visual cortex is quite vulnerable towards general disturbances caused by this kind of illness.