Encephalitis is an inflammation of the brain that is often caused by viral infections. It can cause brain tissue to swell and potentially damage nerve cells. Symptoms range from mild headaches and fever to more severe symptoms like seizures, confusion, and loss of consciousness. Treatment focuses on supportive care, relieving symptoms, and allowing the body to fight the infection. Hundreds of deaths from encephalitis occurred recently in India during a monsoon outbreak.

1. Human Diseases
Encephalitis: A devastating
disease that greatly harms the
brain, harming fellow Indians and
people around the world.

2. Encephalitis Basics
 Encephalitis is irritation and swelling
(inflammation) of the brain, most often due to
infections.
 Encephalitis is a rare condition. It occurs
more often in the first year of life and
decreases with age. The very young and the
elderly are more likely to have a severe case.

3. Seeing Encephalitis
 Inflamed brain compared to a normal brain.
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4. Causes of Encephalitis
Encephalitis is most often caused by a viral
infection. Many types of viruses may cause it.
Exposure to viruses can occur through:
 Breathing in respiratory droplets from an
infected person
 Contaminated food or drink
 Mosquito, tick, and other insect bites
 Skin contact

5. Other Problems from Encephalitis
 Viruses can cause inflammation of brain
tissue. The brain tissue swells (cerebral
edema), which may destroy nerve cells,
cause bleeding in the brain (intracerebral
hemorrhage), and brain damage.
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6. Symptoms of Encephalitis
 Some patients may have symptoms of a cold or stomach
infection before encephalitis symptoms begin.
 When a case of encephalitis is not very severe, the
symptoms may be similar to those of other illnesses,
including:
 Fever that is not very high
 Mild headache
 Low energy and a poor appetite
 Clumsiness, unsteady gait
 Confusion, disorientation
 Drowsiness
 Irritability or poor temper control
 Light sensitivity
 Stiff neck and back (occasionally)
 Vomiting

7. Symptoms in Newborns and
Young
 Symptoms in newborns and younger infants may
not be as easy to recognize:
 Body stiffness
 Irritability and crying more often (these
symptoms may get worse when the baby is picked
up)
 Poor feeding
 Soft spot on the top of the head may bulge out
more
 Vomiting

8. Emergency Symptoms
 Loss of consciousness, poor responsiveness, stupor,
coma
 Muscle weakness or paralysis
 Seizures
 Severe headache
 Sudden change in mental functions:
 "Flat" mood, lack of mood, or mood that is
inappropriate for the situation
 Impaired judgment
 Inflexibility, extreme self-centeredness, inability
to make a decision, or withdrawal from social interaction
 Less interest in daily activities
 Memory loss (amnesia), impaired short-term or
long-term memory

9. Treatment of Encephalitis
 The goals of treatment are to provide
supportive care (rest, nutrition, fluids) to help
the body fight the infection, and to relieve
symptoms. Reorientation and emotional
support for confused or delirious people may
be helpful.
 Who can think of some examples of
treatments? Discuss and share.

10. Complications with
Encephalitis
 Permanent brain damage may occur in
severe cases of encephalitis. It can affect:
 Hearing
 Memory
 Muscle control
 Sensation
 Speech
 Vision
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11. Recent Encephalitis Events in
India
 Over the past month, deaths of hundreds of
people in a fresh outbreak of encephalitis, in
the northern town of Gorakhpur, have
increased.
 In recent monsoons, more than 500 have
died with 2 or 3 dying everyday just in
Gorakhpur.
 Outbreak of encephalitis happen every year
due to monsoon rains.

12. The End
 Summarize what you have learned.
 Analyze the information provided and think of
ways to prevent encephalitis.
 Think of ways to help those who are suffering
 Share this information with others. One of the
best ways to master something is to teach it
to someone else.
 Be as safe, clean, and healthy as possible.