encephalitis lethargica causes

Intensive Care Med 1990 16: 338-339 8. The most recent epidemic ravaged the world between 1916 and 1927, and was named encephalitis lethargica (EL) by the clinician most associated with this disorder, von Economo (von Economo, 1931). b) The pre-inflammatory state entailed by severe infections can be amplified by the electric currents induced into the brain by radio waves. But when a cause is known, the most common is a viral infection. "Cases of encephalitis lethargica since the original epidemic have been scarce, but in 1993 a twenty-three year old woman was hospitalized after suffering fever, tremors, hallucinations, and strange arm movements. In both cases, the patient shows similar altered mental status. Victims of Encephalitis Lethargica became living statues, speechless and motionless. What Causes Encephalitis Lethargica? Encephalitis lethargica is an atypical form of encephalitis.Also known as "sleeping sickness" or "sleepy sickness" (distinct from tsetse fly-transmitted sleeping sickness), it was first described in 1917 by the neurologist Constantin von Economo [2] [3] and the pathologist Jean-René Cruchet. They found that cortical damage was present in 75% of the cases, damage to the meninges and brainstem in half the cases, and the substantia nigra was damaged in 13% of the cases. The strange part is that the cause and other relevant information about this epidemic are still unknown to mankind. The causes of encephalitis lethargica are uncertain. Encephalitis Lethargica (EL) is a disease characterized by high fever, headache, double vision, delayed physical and mental response, extreme tiredness (lethargy), and sometimes coma Patients may also experience abnormal eye movements, upper body weakness, muscle pain, tremors, neck rigidity, and behavioral changes including psychosis encephalitis lethargica: ( ē-kon-ō'mō von sahn serf ), a unique encephalitis, presumably viral in origin, which followed the influenza pandemic of 1914-1918. Encephalitis lethargica ('sleeping sickness') was a mysterious disorder that swept the world in the decade following the First World War, before disappearing without its cause having been identified. Encephalitis lethargica (EL) was a polymorphic epi-demic disease of the early part of the 20th century that was characterized by von Economo in 1917.2,3 Although the cause of the disease remains unknown, it is generally assumed to have had a viral etiology and This eMedTV Web page provides a detailed description of this medical condition, with information on possible symptoms, treatment options, and more. The witchcraft of encephalitis in Salem | Semantic Scholar Encephalitis lethargica (EL) was suggested as another possible cause in Salem by Carlson [3]. This either activates subclinical infections (e.g. History Encephalitis lethargica is a disease that seems to belong in a horror movie, complete with brain damage that causes victims to sleep for years or to hack away at their own bodies — and it all started in Europe during World War I. Encephalitis lethargica syndrome: 20 new cases and ... Neurology 1988 38: 1155-1158 7. Encephalitis lethargica is a disease characterized by high fever, headache, double vision, delayed physical and mental response, and lethargy. reported that about 20 patients with suspected manifestations of encephalitis lethargica, such as sleep disorders, lethargy, Parkinsonism, dyskinesia, and neuropsychiatric symptoms, increased protein and oligo-clonal bands in their spinal fluid [9]. Antiviral medications commonly used to treat encephalitis include: Acyclovir (Zovirax) Ganciclovir (Cytovene) Foscarnet (Foscavir) Some viruses, such as insect-borne viruses, don't respond to these treatments. The cause of the strange illness still remains a mystery today. Because of marked similarities between Guamanian ALS/PD and late onset post-encephalitic (encephalitis lethargica) parkinsonism and ALS it is suggested that they have a common cause. One of the more controversial theories states that the girls suffered from an outbreak of encephalitis lethargica, an inflammation of the brain spread by insects and birds. Brit J Psychiatry 1987 151: 550-552 6. Throughout recent years, isolated cases of encephalitis lethargica have been reported.2 3 We present a patient with features of sporadic encephalitis lethargica and discuss management of this entity in the context of catatonia. [4] Contents. Encephalitis lethargica-like illness in a girl with mycoplasma infection. encephalitis lethargica from the period of 1915 to 1940. Encephalitis lethargica. Encephalitis lethargica ('sleeping sickness') was a mysterious disorder that swept the world in the decade following the First World War, before disappearing without its cause having been identified. Other than Some researchers suspect it may be an immune reaction, based on a history of past infections in many patients with the disease. Encephalitis Lethargica, or "Sleeping Sickness", caused a pandemic which came into existence in 1916 and lasted till 1940. The patient was a 22 year old previously psychologically and neurologically healthy woman who was transferred to the . In the acute stage, EL presented as encephalitis with either somnolent or manic behavior, mask-like facies, It was first described by World War I pilot and noble, Constantin von Economo, who switched to a career in . Encephalitis lethargica is an unusual form of encephalitis, also known of as "sleepy sickness." The condition was first defined in 1917 by Constantin von Economo, a neurologist who described the classic symptoms of speechlessness and loss of motion that the condition causes. 5. The baffling disease has long been considered one the biggest medical mystery of all time. Autoimmune disease. This is in contrast to meningitis, which is an inflammation of the layers covering the brain. Others believe that a virus related to the . Encephalitis lethargica is a disease that causes fever, delayed physical response, and lethargy. Encephalitis lethargica-like illness in a girl with mycoplasma infection. Wiki. Japanese encephalitis, which occurs in Asia. They found that cortical damage was present in 75% of the cases, damage to the meninges and brainstem in half the cases, and the substantia nigra was damaged in 13% of the cases. It can be caused by a bacterial infection such as bacterial meningitis spreading directly to the brain (primary encephalitis), or may be a complication of a current infectious disease like rabies or syphilis (secondary encephalitis). Kapadia F, Grant IS. Even 100 years later, the cause of the encephalitis lethargica epidemic remains uncertain. What is encephalitis lethargica? As encephalitis lethargica develops, the patient will experience extreme fatigue. Neuropathological examination revealed maximal injury in the region of the mesencephalon, corresponding with the most common focal neurological signs, being abnormalities of oculomotility. During the 1920s and 1930s a strange, very polymorphic condition affected much of the world although not at the same time everywhere and certainly not with the same symptoms. Encephalitis lethargica (EL) is a form of encephalitis which is largely characterized by sleep and movement disorders, and postencephalitic parkinsonism in survivors. "Cases of encephalitis lethargica since the original epidemic have been scarce, but in 1993 a twenty-three year old woman was hospitalized after suffering fever, tremors, hallucinations, and strange arm movements. Besides producing physical symptoms of an acute central nervous system infection, encephalitis lethargica can, at times, progress to coma or death. Encephalitis Lethargica: During and After the Epidemic is akin to a detective novel about a major medical mystery that remains unsolved. What are the Symptoms of Encephalitis Lethargica? During this time, millions of people died from causes related to the disease. Post-encephalitic parkinsonism (PEP) affected patients for decades. Encephalitis Lethargica: During and After the Epidemic thoroughly describes the disease during the epidemic period and also details all the cases that have been reported since that time. , memory problems, and more the still Unexplained Sleeping... < /a > What caused Salem... One done by the Free... < /a > Anderson, Vilensky et al Wiki | Fandom < >... Words sound similar, they are different conditions can present with variable and serious.! Herpes simplex virus and rabies as well as bact the brain and may patients! Options, and tremors about this epidemic are still unknown to mankind & # ;! 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