Monday, March 08, 2010

Encephalitis

--- is an inflammation of the brain caused by a primary viral infection to the brain or spinal cord, or a by a secondary viral infection which first infects a part of the body and then infects the brain.

Symptoms:
*Headache
*Irritability
*Lethargy
*Fever
*Joint pain

More serious infections can cause:
*Confusion and hallucinations
*Personality changes
*Double vision
*Seizures
*Muscle weakness
*Loss of sensation or paralysis in certain areas
*Tremors
*Rash
*Loss of consciousness
*Bulging in the soft spots (fontanels) of the skull in infants

Info taken from the May Clinic website.