ENCEPHALITIS INTERNATIONAL LAUNCHES F.L.A.M.E.S
A life‑saving awareness initiative — led by our community
F.L.A.M.E.S reflects the urgent neurological signs that the general public and non-specialist acute medics should be aware of to help recognise encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) earlier.
F.L.A.M.E.S stands for Flu-like Symptoms, Loss of Consciousness, Acute Headache, Memory Problems, Emotional/Behavioural Changes, Seizures. These are the symptoms most commonly found in both infectious and autoimmune causes of encephalitis.
The development of F.L.A.M.E.S involved members of our community, Scientific Advisory Panel, Team Encephalitis Volunteers and the support of Camino Communications who kindly created the digital assets for circulation. The concept has been an ambition of Encephalitis International’s for years. Back in 2024, we undertook a Censuswide survey of 614 emergency medical professionals in India, the Philippines, USA, UK, Germany and Australia, several questions related to encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). You can read the full findings here. Only 33 per cent of emergency medical professionals surveyed strongly agreed that their training had given them the confidence to recognise encephalitis, we hope F.L.A.M.E.S will change this.
Like Act FAST for stroke, F.L.A.M.E.S is designed to help people recognise the common symptoms of all types of encephalitis and act quickly. We know that earlier recognition saves lives and improves outcomes — and too often, that opportunity is missed.
At the point of this blog’s publication we will be midway through a week‑long PR and media campaign, culminating on World Encephalitis Day to share F.L.A.M.E.S across media outlets and billboards across the world. F.L.A.M.E.S has been published in the World Federation of Neurology Journal.
We know lasting change will only happen if awareness spreads beyond a single week — and that is where people like you play such a vital role.
Our ambition is to see F.L.A.M.E.S displayed in schools, hospitals, GP clinics, and community spaces, helping ensure that fewer families experience the shock, delay, and devastation that encephalitis so often brings. Every 20 seconds, someone, somewhere in the world is diagnosed with encephalitis. The speed of that diagnosis can save — or change — their life.
We need your help today.
- Spread F.L.A.M.E.S We have created a full bank of digital and printable resources, download and share today 👉 www.encephalitis.info/FLAMES
If you would like printed materials posted to you, please contact us — we would be very happy to help.
- Help ignite our World Encephalitis Day Appeal: Our appeal aims to raise £50,000, our biggest ever appeal target, by World Encephalitis Day. Could you consider a £10 donation to help us continue to raise awareness, drive research and provide support to people impacted by encephalitis across the world? Pledge your support today: World Encephalitis Day Appeal 2026 – JustGiving
Thank you for standing with us, and for being part of a community determined to change outcomes for others.
P.S This is just the start for F.L.A.M.E.S later in 2026 we will be developing translated versions, full resource packs and merchandise – watch this space!