Viral encephalitis history and symptoms

For patient information, click here Template:Encephalitis Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Overview

Patients with encephalitis suffer from fever, headache and photophobia with weakness and seizures are also common. Less commonly, stiffness of the neck can occur with rare cases of patients also suffering from stiffness of the limbs, slowness in movement and clumsiness depending on which specific part of the brain is involved. The symptoms of encephalitis are caused by the brain's defense mechanisms activating to get rid of the infection. Another symptom of Encephalitis is hallucination.

History and symptoms

Common symptoms

• Acute confusion or decreased levels of consciousness.
• Behavioral or personality change
• Lethargy
• Photophobia, neck stiffness, neck pain (suggesting meningeal irritation.
• Seizure (Generalized or focal)
• Headache

Less common symptoms

• Flaccid paralysis
• Backache

Disease specific symptoms

• Herpes simplex virus
  • can be seen in neonates
  • Herpes specific lesion in skin, eye and mouth
  • Poor feeding
  • Decreased alertness
  • Irritable child
  • Seizures
• Toxoplasma virus
  • Common in immuno-compromised patients (common in HIV patients presenting with neurological manifestations)

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

Other symptoms include

• Clumsiness, unsteady gait
• Confusion, disorientation
• Drowsiness
• Irritability or poor temper control
• Light sensitivity
• Stiff neck and back (occasionally)
• Vomiting

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

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