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How Do I Know If I Have It?

To diagnose encephalitis, your doctor will consider your symptoms and ask about any recent illnesses you've had and your possible exposure to viruses — being near others who are ill or near mosquitoes or ticks, for example.

Your doctor may also order a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, spinal tap, or an electroencephalogram (EEG) to see an image of your brain. Blood tests to check for the presence of bacteria or viruses and immune cells produced in response to them can also be helpful. An analysis of a brain tissue sample (biopsy) may be necessary to confirm the diagnosis. It is most important to diagnose the particular type of encephalitis that you have and to identify its cause in order to plan appropriate treatment.

What Are the Treatments?

Because complications from encephalitis can be serious, the condition requires hospitalization. Your treatment will depend largely on your age and condition, as well as the form and cause of your disease. If your encephalitis is caused by a bacterial infection, it can be treated with antibiotics. Treatment for herpes-related encephalitis includes supportive care, as well as antiviral therapy with a drug such as acyclovir. Other treatments may be used to lower your fever, give you adequate fluids, treat seizures if they develop, and reduce any pressure in your skull.

With proper care, many people recover from encephalitis. Infants are at greater risk of sustaining permanent brain damage. Children tend to recover more slowly than adults.