The document outlines symptoms of viral encephalitis, ranging from mild flu-like symptoms such as headache, fever, muscle aches, and fatigue in most cases, to more severe symptoms requiring prompt medical care such as severe headache, fever, altered consciousness, confusion, seizures, muscle weakness, and hallucinations. Symptoms in infants and young children may additionally include bulging fontanels, nausea, vomiting, body stiffness, inconsolable crying worsening with movement, and poor feeding.

1. Symptoms
Most people with viral encephalitis have either no symptoms or mild flu-like symptoms, such as
the following:
 Headache
 Fever
 Aches in muscles or joints
 Fatigue or weakness
More-serious cases require prompt medical care. Signs and symptoms may include the
following:
 Severe headache
 Fever
 Altered consciousness
 Confusion or agitation
 Personality changes
 Seizures
 Loss of sensation or paralysis in certain areas of the body
 Muscle weakness
 Hallucinations
 Double vision
 Perception of foul smells
 Problems with speech or hearing
 Loss of consciousness
Signs and symptoms in infants and young children may also include:
 Bulging in the soft spots (fontanels) of the skull in infants
 Nausea and vomiting
 Body stiffness
 Constant, inconsolable crying
 Crying that worsens when the child is picked up
 Poor feeding