We recognise that there are a wide range of definitions in relation to encephalitis. We define encephalitis as being a syndrome of brain inflammation with a number of possible causes and complex diagnostic algorithms a,b,c,d,e,f .
Other disorders of the brain that may exhibit similar signs and symptoms, but which are not included in our activities are below. We will endeavour to signpost those with diagnoses other than encephalitis to organisations better equipped to meet their needs.
Examples of disorders that are not included in our remit:
- Paediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS)-please refer to pandasnetwork.org (USA) or www.paspandasuk.org (UK).
- Acute necrotising encephalomyelitis (ANE)-please refer to aneinternational.org (Canada).
- Meningitis-please refer to meningitisnow.org (UK), www.meningitis.org (UK), www.comomeningitis.org (30 countries members association).
- Transverse myelitis-please refer to myelitis.org.uk (UK), https://wearesrna.org/ (Australia).
- Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME)-please refer to meassociation.org.uk (UK), www.euro-me.org/index.shtml (Europe).
- Encephalopathies due to various other causes: anoxia, trauma, metabolic disturbance, tumour, alcohol abuse, sepsis, etc (please refer to brainandspine.org.uk (UK), https://synapse.org.au (Australia), www.biausa.org (USA).
- Lyme disease-please refer to nhs.uk/conditions/lyme-disease [1] (UK), lymedisease.org (USA); canlyme.com (Canada).
- Multiple sclerosis (MS)-please refer to mssociety.org.uk (UK), www.mstrust.org.uk (UK), www.nationalmssociety.org (USA); msaustralia.org.au (Australia); mssociety.ca (Canada)
a Graus F., Titulaer M.J., Balu R., et al. A clinical approach to diagnosis of autoimmune encephalitis. Lancet Neurol 2016; 15: 391–404.
b Britton P.N., Eastwood K., Paterson B., et al. Consensus guidelines for the investigation and management of encephalitis in adults and children in Australia and New Zealand. Intern Med J 2015; 45(5):536-576.
c Solomon T, Michael BD (joint first), Smith PE, Sanderson F, Davies NWS, Hart IJ, Buckley C, Holland M, Easton A, Kneen R, Beeching NJ. On behalf of the National Encephalitis Guidelines Development Group. Management of suspected viral encephalitis in adults: Association of British Neurologists and British Infection Association National Guideline. Journal of Infection 2012; 64(4):347-73.
d Kneen R, Michael BD, Menson E, Mehta B, Easton A, Hemingway C, Klapper PE, Vincent A, Lim M, Carrol E, Solomon T. On behalf of the National Encephalitis Guidelines Development and Stakeholder Groups. Management of suspected viral Encephalitis in children: Association of British Neurologists and British Paediatric Allergy, Immunology and Infectious Diseases Group National Guidelines. Journal of Infection 2012; 64(5): 449-477.
e Stahl J.P., Azouvi P., Bruneel F., et al. Guidelines on the management of infectious encephalitis in adults. Med Mal Infect. 2017 May;47(3):179-194.
f Venkatesan, A. and Geocadin, R.G. Diagnosis and management of acute encephalitis A practical approach. Neurol Clin Pract. 2014 Jun; 4(3): 206–215.
[1] Please note we will continue to support the very small number of Lyme Encephalitis patients and their families.