The AllIndia Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) will study the actual cause behindthe Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) that claimed 125 in Bihar which is listedunder unknown category.

The projectis scheduled to begin next month and is funded by the Union Ministry of Healthand Family Welfare and India Infrastructure Finance Company Limited as part ofCSR activity.

Center ofExcellence and Advanced Research for Childhood Neurodevelopmental Disorders,AIIMS will be looking after 11 projects out of which one is to find out howthese acute and sub-acute AES syndromes are caused.

AIIMS willfocus on the study as how chronic encephalitis syndrome has affected childrenfrom 1 month to 18 years of age will be the focus.

Chief ofChild Neurology Division, Department of Pediatrics', AIIMS, Sheffali Gulatiwhile speaking to a news agency said that they have to treat the cases of AESas following the disease, every year mortality rate goes high. This study wouldhelp them to know the exact cause behind this.

Dr. Gulatifurther stated that they will be doing a plethora of tests and cover most ofthe viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites and autoimmune disorders. To deal withcases caused by intake of Litchi, they might add a metabolic screen tounderstand the aetiology comprehensively.

She alsostated that comprehensive profile study is crucial because as patients comingto AIIMS with AES are not only from Delhi or Bihar but from the entire SAARCregion.

The doctoralso informed that the cases of AES might be linked to litchi but the diseasecan be caused by a whole plethora of infections and encelophaty situations.