Viral encephalitis causes
Template:Encephalitis Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editors-In-Chief: Priyamvada Singh, MBBS [2]
Overview
Encephalitis is an acute inflammation of the brain, commonly caused by a viral infection. Sometimes, encephalitis can result from a bacterial infection, such as bacterial meningitis, or it may be a complication of other infectious diseases like rabies (viral) or syphilis (bacterial). Certain parasitic or protozoal infestations, such as toxoplasmosis, malaria, or primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, can also cause encephalitis in people with compromised immune systems. Additionally, fungal, and autoimmune disorders can also produce encephalitis
Causes
Life Threatening Causes
Life-threatening causes include conditions which may result in death or permanent disability within 24 hours if left untreated.
Common Causes
Causes by Organ System
| Cardiovascular | No underlying causes |
| Chemical / poisoning | No underlying causes |
| Dermatologic | No underlying causes |
| Drug Side Effect | Zanamivir |
| Ear Nose Throat | No underlying causes |
| Endocrine | No underlying causes |
| Environmental | No underlying causes |
| Gastroenterologic | No underlying causes |
| Genetic | No underlying causes |
| Hematologic | Vasculitic Neuropathy |
| Iatrogenic | No underlying causes |
| Infectious Disease | Botulism, diphtheria, lyme disease, poliomyelitis, CMV, paresis caused by West Nile fever |
| Musculoskeletal / Ortho | No underlying causes |
| Neurologic | Cauda equina syndrome, conus medullaris, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, myasthenia gravis, multiple sclerosis, acute myelopathies with chronic back pain and sphincter dysfunction |
| Nutritional / Metabolic | Metabolic myopathies, nutritional neuropathy, |
| Obstetric/Gynecologic | No underlying causes |
| Oncologic | No underlying causes |
| Opthalmologic | No underlying causes |
| Overdose / Toxicity | Heavy metal toxicity, poisonings with organophosphate, poison hemlock, thallium, or arsenic |
| Psychiatric | No underlying causes |
| Pulmonary | No underlying causes |
| Renal / Electrolyte | No underlying causes |
| Rheum / Immune / Allergy | No underlying causes |
| Sexual | No underlying causes |
| Trauma | No underlying causes |
| Urologic | No underlying causes |
| Miscellaneous | Porphyria |
Causes in Alphabetical Order
- Adenovirus
- Chickenpox
- Coxsackievirus
- Cytomegalovirus
- Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus
- Echovirus
- Rubella
- West Nile virus
Gallery
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![This image reveals some of the cytoarchitectural features seen in a lymph node specimen that had been extracted from a patient suspected of a Hantavirus illness. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). [1]](/images/c/c0/Flavivirus06.jpeg)
This image reveals some of the cytoarchitectural features seen in a lymph node specimen that had been extracted from a patient suspected of a Hantavirus illness. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). [1]
![This image reveals some of the cytoarchitectural features seen in a lymph node specimen that had been extracted from a patient suspected of a Hantavirus illness. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). [1]](/index.php/File:Flavivirus06.jpeg)