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Viral encephalitis

Description

An in-depth report on the causes, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of viral encephalitis.


Alternative Names

West Nile virus


Symptoms

Symptoms of encephalitis usually appear within 2 days to 2 weeks of exposure to the virus. In milder cases, symptoms may resemble the flu. In severe cases of full-blown encephalitis, symptoms may include:

Patients experiencing these types of symptoms, (especially if they may have recently been bitten by a mosquito or tick of if they have lesions on the lips or genitals), should immediately seek medical treatment.

Symptoms in Infants. Infants with herpesvirus encephalitis may develop lesions in the mouth, in the eye, or on the skin within 1 - 45 days after birth. Other symptoms include lethargy, seizures, and changes in temperature. Their fontanels, the soft spots on their head where the skull has not yet closed, may bulge outward.


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