What was the 1920s sleeping sickness?

What was the 1920s sleeping sickness?

Encephalitis lethargica was a mysterious epidemic disease of the 1920s and 1930s that was better known as the “sleepy” or “sleeping” sickness.

Was Encephalitis a pandemic?

Encephalitis lethargica (von Economo’s encephalitis) appeared suddenly in 1917–1918 and was pandemic for the next 10 years (von Economo, 1931). Since then, no further epidemics have occurred and the exact etiology has never been identified.

Is encephalitis Lethargica still around?

Subsequently, acute cases became less common, although many patients suffered chronic neurological sequelae that persisted long after the epidemic period. There has been no epidemic recurrence of encephalitis lethargica since the early 20th century, but putative sporadic cases continue to occur.

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.

Is encephalitis a sleeping disorder?

Because autoimmune encephalitis can affect any brain network involved in sleep initiation and regulation, all types of sleep disorders can occur, with varying distinct associations, frequency, and intensity. Anti-IgLON5 and anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis exemplify two diseases in which sleep disorders are prominent.

What are the warning signs of encephalitis?

What are the symptoms of encephalitis?

• Headache.
• Mild flu-like symptoms (aches, fatigue, slight fever)
• Sensitivity to light.
• Neck stiffness.
• Sleepiness or lethargy.
• Increased irritability.
• Seizures.
• Changes in alertness, confusion, or hallucinations.

What triggers encephalitis?

Encephalitis is most often due to a virus, such as: herpes simplex viruses, which cause cold sores and genital herpes (this is the most common cause of encephalitis) the varicella zoster virus, which causes chickenpox and shingles. measles, mumps and rubella viruses.

Does encephalitis shorten your life?

However, despite improvements in diagnosis and treatment, encephalitis still leads to death in about 10% of patients. Survivors of severe cases of encephalitis can be left with permanent problems such as fatigue, irritability, impaired concentration, seizures, hearing loss, memory loss and blindness.

How long do you live with encephalitis?

Long-term outlook All types can be fatal if severe enough. Some types are always fatal. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, transmissible spongiform encephalopathy usually results in death within three months to a few years from the onset of the disease.

Is brain damage from encephalitis permanent?

Encephalitis is an inflammation of the brain, usually caused by a viral infection. Although rare, it is potentially life-threatening, and may lead to permanent brain damage or death.

How do you contract encephalitis?

Most diagnosed cases of encephalitis in the United States are caused by herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2, arboviruses (such as West Nile Virus), which are transmitted from infected animals to humans through the bite of an infected tick, mosquito, or other blood-sucking insect, or enteroviruses.

Is there a vaccination for encephalitis?

Inactivated Vero cell culture-derived Japanese encephalitis (JE) vaccine (manufactured as IXIARO) is the only JE vaccine licensed and available in the United States. This vaccine was approved in March 2009 for use in people aged 17 years and older and in May 2013 for use in children 2 months through 16 years of age.