Encephalitis is also another word for inflammation of the brain. It does not occur often in the Netherlands, but it does occur in Asia. Read more about Encephalitis in this article.

Contents

• Encephalitis
• Symptoms
• Cause
• Risk cases
• Therapy
• Recovery

Encephalitis

In the condition encephalitis, the brain is inflamed (not the meninges, which is called meningitis), although if a person has encephalitis, he/she often also has meningitis. The nerve cells of the brain are damaged in encephalitis.

Symptoms

• Fever
• Flu complaints
• Language problems
• Epilepsy
• Partial paralysis
• Loss of consciousness
• Vision loss

Cause

The cause of encephalitis is the herpes simplex infection, which is caused (especially abroad) by an insect bite. If this infection is not treated quickly, it can be life-threatening. Fortunately, it only occurs very rarely in the Netherlands. Encephalitis occurs in about dozens of cases per year. The diseases mumps, measles or a cold virus can also lead to encephalitis.

Risk cases

One of the most risky cases is in children up to 5 years old. It is equally common in girls and boys. Even though there are good treatments for treating encephalitis, 1 in 5 children who suffer from it will still die.

Therapy

• Antibiotics
• An operation
• Draining an abscess (stereotactic)

Recovery

Recovery can take months. There are often lasting problems after recovery such as:

• Problems with thinking
• Problems walking
• Problems with weakness of the limbs

People with a mild form of encephalitis often recover after a few weeks. It is important that if the symptoms indicate encephalitis, you contact your doctor as soon as possible.