What was the encephalitis Lethargica?
Definition. Encephalitis lethargica is a disease characterized by high fever, headache, double vision, delayed physical and mental response, and lethargy. In acute cases, patients may enter coma.
Does encephalitis Lethargica still exist?
There has been no epidemic recurrence of encephalitis lethargica since the early 20th century, but putative sporadic cases continue to occur.
What is bacterial encephalitis?
Encephalitis is a brain inflammation that occurs due to an infection such as a virus or bacteria, medication or immune system malfunction. Encephalitis is a rare, often serious condition that requires timely care.
Is encephalitis Lethargica curable?
There is little evidence so far of a consistent effective treatment for the initial stages, though some patients given steroids have seen improvement. The disease becomes progressive, with evidence of brain damage similar to Parkinson’s disease. Treatment is then symptomatic.
Is L-DOPA still used?
Five decades after its introduction, L-DOPA is still the most effective and widely used drug to alleviate the symptoms of PD (4). In recent years, deep brain stimulation (DBS) has become a standard evidence-based therapy for severe movement disorders such as PD (5), tremor (6) and dystonia (7).
Is Spanish Flu related to encephalitis Lethargica?
Encephalitis lethargica (EL) was a mysterious epidemic, temporally associated with the 1918 Spanish influenza pandemic. Numerous symptoms characterized this disease, including headache, diplopia, fever, fatal coma, delirium, oculogyric crisis, lethargy, catatonia, and psychiatric symptoms.
What is meningoencephalitis?
: inflammation of the brain and meninges.
What does encephalitis do to the brain?
Encephalitis is inflammation of the active tissues of the brain caused by an infection or an autoimmune response. The inflammation causes the brain to swell, which can lead to headache, stiff neck, sensitivity to light, mental confusion and seizures.
What causes bacterial infection in the brain?
Bacteria and other infectious organisms can reach the brain and meninges in several ways: By being carried by the blood. By entering the brain directly from the outside (for example, through a skull fracture or during surgery on the brain) By spreading from nearby infected structures, such as the sinuses or middle ear.
Which is the best definition of encephalitis lethargica?
encephalitis lethargica. n. A viral epidemic encephalitis marked by apathy, paralysis of the extrinsic eye muscle, and extreme muscular weakness.
Who was the first person to discover 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 and the pathologist Jean-René Cruchet.
What was the cause of encephalitis in the 1920s?
encephalitis lethargica. A disease of unknown cause that occurred world-wide in the 1920s affecting millions of people, especially in Europe. There was paralysis of the eye muscles and a striking tendency to sleepiness. A high proportion of those who survived developed Parkinsonism within months or years.
When does secondary encephalitis occur after an infection?
Also known as post-infection encephalitis, secondary encephalitis often occurs two to three weeks after the initial infection. When a mosquito bites an infected bird, the virus enters the mosquito’s bloodstream and eventually moves into its salivary glands.