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Complications
By Mayo Clinic staffThe complications resulting from encephalitis depend on several factors, including age, the cause of the infection, the severity of the initial illness and the time from disease onset to treatment.
In most cases, people with relatively mild illness recover within a few weeks with no long-term complications.
Complications of severe illness
Injury to the brain from inflammation can result in a number of problems. The most severe cases can result in:
- Respiratory arrest
- Coma
- Death
Other complications — varying greatly in severity — may persist for many months or be permanent:
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Mood disorders
- Personality changes
- Memory problems
- Intellectual disabilities
- Lack of muscle coordination
- Paralysis
- Hearing or vision defects
- Speech impairments
References
- Encephalitis and meningitis fact sheet. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/encephalitis_meningitis/detail_encephalitis_meningitis.htm. Accessed March 8, 2011.
- Encephalitis. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/sec16/ch217/ch217c.html. Accessed March 10, 2011.
- Johnson RP, et al. Viral encephalitis in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 10, 2011.
- Hardarson HS. Acute viral encephalitis in children and adolescents: Clinical manifestations and diagnosis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 10, 2011.
- Beckham J, et al. Encephalitis. In: Mandell G, et al., eds. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?sid=1129246002&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06839-3..00087-4&isbn=978-0-443-06839-3&type=bookPage§ionEid=4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06839-3..00087-4&uniqId=237025740-4. Accessed March 10, 2011.
- Hardarson HS. Acute viral encephalitis in children and adolescents: Pathogenesis and etiology. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 10, 2011.
- Information on arboviral enchephalitides. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/arbor/arbdet.htm. Accessed March 8, 2011.
- Hardarson HS. Acute viral encephalitis in children and adolescents: Treatment and prevention. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 10, 2011.
- Insect repellant use and safety. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/qa/insect_repellent.htm. Accessed March 15, 2011.
- A parent's guide to insect repellent. American Academy of Pediatrics. http://patiented.aap.org/content.aspx?aid=5556. Accessed March 11, 2011.
- Acyclovir. National Center for Biotechnology Medicine. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000533. Accessed March 22, 2011.
- Ganciclovir injection. National Center for Biotechnology Medicine. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000889. Accessed March 22, 2011.
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