| (*PDF
version) for printing.
What
is encephalitis?
Encephalitis
is a medical term that refers to an inflammation
of the brain. Two closely related terms are encephalomyelitis,
which refers to an inflammation of the brain and spinal
cord, and meningoencephalitis, which refers to an inflammation
of the brain and the meninges (the membranes that cover
the brain and spinal cord).
Encephalitis
can be caused by a number of viruses, bacteria and poisons
(such as lead).
Primary
encephalitis describes the situation where the
cause of the encephalitis is known and is believed to be
responsible for the patient's symptoms.
Post-infectious
encephalitis is also known as acute disseminated
encephalomyelitis. This describes a situation where the
patient has recovered recently from an illness, and develops
encephalitis at a subsequent date.
Unspecified
encephalitis describes the situation where the
cause of the encephalitis is unknown.
What
are the symptoms of encephalitis?
The
symptoms of encephalitis vary depending on the cause of
the encephalitis. The central nervous system effects can
be very mild and produce symptoms no worse than a headache,
or they can be very severe and result in coma or death.
Depending on the cause of the encephalitis, other body systems
may also be affected.
Why
is encephalitis considered a reportable disease?
Encephalitis
is a rare but very serious disease. Many of the causes of
encephalitis are communicable and, if one case of encephalitis
is diagnosed within a community, appropriate steps may need
to be taken immediately to prevent the further spread of
the disease.
Where
can I get more information?
- Your
personal doctor.
- Your
local health department listed in your telephone directory.
- The
Utah Department of Health, Bureau of Epidemiology (801)
538-6191.
UTAH
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
BUREAU OF EPIDEMIOLOGY
August 2001 |
