Encephalitis (Print Version)

Encephalitis is an inflammation of the brain. The usual cause is a viral infection, but bacteria can also cause it. Cases can range from mild to severe. For mild cases, you could have flu-like symptoms. Serious cases can cause

Severe headache
Sudden fever
Drowsiness
Vomiting
Confusion
Seizures

For mild cases, you may just need rest, plenty of fluids and a pain reliever. For severe cases, you might need to be hospitalized. Fortunately, encephalitis is uncommon in the United States.

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Start Here

Encephalitis(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/infections/bacterial_viral/encephalitis.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/teen/en_espanol/infecciones/encephalitis_esp.html
Meningitis and Encephalitis(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/encephalitis_meningitis/detail_encephalitis_meningitis.htm
Also available in Spanish http://espanol.ninds.nih.gov/trastornos/meningitis_y_encefalitis.htm

Overviews

Encephalitis(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/encephalitis/DS00226/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
JAMA Patient Page: Viral Encephalitis(American Medical Association) - http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/294/4/514.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/data/294/4/514/DC1/1
Meningitis and Encephalitis(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/encephalitis_meningitis/encephalitis_meningitis.htm

Latest News

Early Treatment Benefits Newfound Brain Disorder(10/13/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_70369.html

Diagnosis/Symptoms

Computed Tomography (CT): Head(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) - http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=headct
Also available in Spanish http://www.radiologyinfo.org/sp/info.cfm?pg=headct
Functional MR Imaging (fMRI): Brain(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) - http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=fmribrain
Also available in Spanish http://www.radiologyinfo.org/sp/info.cfm?pg=fmribrain
Importance of EEG Tests(Epilepsy Foundation) - http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org/about/quickstart/newlydiagnosed/qstreatment/qstreeg.cfm

Prevention/Screening

Mosquito Control(Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Pesticide Programs) - http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/health/mosquitoes/

Specific Conditions

Amebic Infections Due to Free-Living Amebas(Merck & Co., Inc.) - http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec17/ch196/ch196c.html
Eastern Equine Encephalitis(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/arbor/eeefact.htm
Encephalitis Lethargica(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/encephalitis_lethargica/encephalitis_lethargica.htm
Japanese Encephalitis: Health Information for International Travel(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www2.ncid.cdc.gov/travel/yb/utils/ybGet.asp?section=dis&obj=jenceph.htm
LaCrosse Encephalitis(Directors of Health Promotion and Education) - http://www.dhpe.org/lacenceph.asp
Rasmussen's Encephalitis(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/rasmussen/rasmussen.htm
St. Louis Encephalitis(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/sle/Sle_FactSheet.html
Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/subacute_panencephalitis/subacute_panencephalitis.htm
Tickborne Encephalitis: Health Information for International Travel(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/yellowBookCh4-Tickborne.aspx
Western Equine Encephalitis(Directors of Health Promotion and Education) - http://www.dhpe.org/wee.asp

Clinical Trials

ClinicalTrials.gov: Encephalitis(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Encephalitis%22

Journal Articles

References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

Article: Herpetic encephalitis is a risk factor for acute retinal necrosis. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18852442&tool=MedlinePlus
Article: Burden of neuroinfectious diseases on the neurology service in a... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18838663&tool=MedlinePlus
Article: Japanese encephalitis: surveillance and elimination effort in Japan from 1982... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18806337&tool=MedlinePlus
Encephalitis -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=encephalitis[majr]+NOT+west+nile+fever[majr]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+english[la]+AND+(review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+systematic[sb]+OR+jsubsetn[text]+OR+jsubsetaim[text])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus

Organizations

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - http://www.cdc.gov/
Also available in Spanish http://www.cdc.gov/spanish/
Directors of Health Promotion and Education - http://www.dhpe.org/
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/
Also available in Spanish http://espanol.ninds.nih.gov/

Statistics

Arboviral Encephalitis Cases Reported in Humans, by Type, United States, 1964-2006(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - Links to PDF - http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/arbor/arbocase.htm

Children

Encephalitis(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/bacterial_viral/encephalitis.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/parent/en_espanol/infecciones/encephalitis_esp.html

Teenagers

Encephalitis(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/infections/bacterial_viral/encephalitis.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/teen/en_espanol/infecciones/encephalitis_esp.html

You may also be interested in these MedlinePlus related pages:

Meningitis - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/meningitis.html
West Nile Virus - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/westnilevirus.html
Brain and Nerves - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/brainandnerves.html

The primary NIH organization for research on Encephalitis is the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/