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Writer's pictureSakhi Kedia
Jan 2

Understanding Encephalitis: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments

Written By Sakhi Kedia


Overview

Beneath the surface of everyday life, is a serious neurological condition that can completely change the course of one’s life. Encephalitis, also known as “inflammation of the brain,” poses a significant challenge to human health. This condition, more specifically, is characterized by an inflammation of the active tissues of the brain. There are multiple types of encephalitis, ranging from infectious encephalitis to autoimmune encephalitis, but in both cases, the severity  is extremely high. Along with requiring urgent hospitalization, it can also be life threatening. Anyone can be affected by encephalitis, but extremely young and extremely old people are especially at risk and should be taking preventative measures. In this paper, I will mention the various causes, symptoms, and treatments of encephalitis, outlining the specific details of the condition and its characteristics. 


Causes

First of all, encephalitis is characterized by many causes ranging from infections to problems with the immune system. In terms of viral infections, this condition can be caused by extremely common viruses such as herpes simplex virus, or HSV. HSV type 1 is associated with sores and fever blisters around the mouth whereas HSV type 2 is associated with genital herpes. In both cases, encephalitis is a serious possibility due to HSV entering the brain, or in other words, reactivation from the central nervous system. Encephalitis can also be caused by viral infections caught by insects. For instance, mosquito-borne viruses can lead to certain type of encephalitis like West Nile or even La Crosse encephalitis. When an individual is bitten by a mosquito infected with one of these dangerous viruses, they can then contract the virus themselves. Simply having this virus in one’s body is a serious threat to the body and a possible source of encephalitis. Other viral diseases that lead to infectious encephalitis include tick-borne viruses, the rabies virus, and even, although uncommon, enteroviruses like the poliovirus and coxsackievirus. Switching to autoimmune encephalitis, this variety of the condition is solely caused by an individual’s own immune cells attacking the brain or making antibodies target proteins and receptors in the brain. Although the exact reason for why this may happen is unknown, there are possible conclusions. This reaction can be caused by tumors, benign or cancerous, that can trigger specific immune responses. Some types of autoimmune encephalitis can also be caused by infection in the body, however, in most cases, there is no definitive cause that triggers the immune system’s hostile response. 


Symptoms

Secondly, the symptoms of encephalitis encompass a broad range of flu-like symptoms to severe symptoms. Again, I will separate this section into both infectious encephalitis and autoimmune encephalitis. In the case of infectious encephalitis, many people experience symptoms that are of a regular cold, such as a headache, a fever, muscle/joint aches, fatigue and weakness, etc. These symptoms can present as normal and quickly escalate into more severe or uncommon symptoms. These can include a stiff neck, confusion or hallucinations, seizures, a loss of sensation, problems with speech or hearing, or even a loss of consciousness. As I mentioned earlier, encephalitis also affects young people like infants and young children. With them, symptoms present as bulging in soft spots of the skull (known as fontanels), nausea and vomiting, whole body stiffness, poor feeding, and irritability. Although when experiencing these symptoms, the individual may not know the cause or the meaning of them, it is important that they seek assistance right away, specifically if they are experiencing multiple symptoms or if they persist over several days. 


Treatments


With these symptoms come treatments to lessen the severity of encephalitis and even help individuals make a full recovery. To be clear, encephalitis is required to be treated only in a hospital due to the pharmaceuticals and equipment that can only be accessed by licensed doctors. The specific treatments include antiviral medicines, steroid injections, antibiotics and antifungal medications, and treatments that can help control the immune system. Other medicines, in terms of medicinal drugs, include specific painkillers to reduce discomfort and specific medicines to control seizures. Aside from the pharmaceuticals, equipment can help support breathing by providing oxygen through a face mask or through a breathing machine called a ventilator. With months of treatment, care, and patience, many patients suffering from encephalitis do eventually make a full recovery, barring any complications that may arise along the way.


Conclusion

Ultimately, encephalitis is a severe neurological condition that although treatable, is extremely severe and can be life altering for many individuals. People all around the world, of all ages, suffer from this condition and doctors today are looking for more effective treatments everyday. Research is being done to look into more distinct causes of the condition and the details behind encephalitis is still a developing area. To conclude, in this paper, I covered the specific causes, symptoms, and treatments of encephalitis, providing a comprehensive overview into the condition.


Works Cited

BGDteam, B. (2023, January 6). Encephalitis | Fact sheet. Brain &Amp; Spine Foundation. https://www.brainandspine.org.uk/health-information/fact-sheets/encephalitis/




Shimizu, V. S. (2019, July 30). Encephalitis: the rare disease with a million implications. Imperial Medicine Blog. https://blogs.imperial.ac.uk/imperial-medicine/2018/02/22/encephalitis-one-million-disease-million-one-implications/

Website, N. (2023, May 18). Encephalitis. nhs.uk. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/encephalitis/

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