Our media campaign for World Encephalitis Day 2023 centred on territories in the Philippines, USA, Canada, Mexico, Germany, India, UK and Australia. We approached radio and television stations, newspaper and online news editors to help us raise awareness of encephalitis. 

We are very grateful to the many supporters who agreed to share their encephalitis stories with the world and to members of the medical community who lent their expertise to shine a light on encephalitis.

Please note: the following is not a comprehensive list of all the articles that have been published.

Research Papers

Our media campaign for World Encephalitis Day 2023 centred on two research papers which looked at the mental health outcomes of peoplea affected by encephalitis. These include:

The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences

Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviours in Anti-NMDAR Encephalitis: Psychopathological Features and Clinical Outcomes is a research paper authored by Dr Jesus Ramirez-Bermudez, of the National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Mexico City, and colleagues

The research paper describes the suicidal thoughts and behaviours in a large group of Mexican patients diagnosed with Anti-NMDAR encephalitis. 

Read Now

MedRxiv

Mental health outcomes of encephalitis: an international web-based study is a research authored by Dr Thomas Pollak, of Kings College London, and colleagues.

A total of 445 respondents from 31 countries completed a web-based questionnaire assessing a wide range of mental health symptoms and disorders.

Please note: this article is a preprint and has not yet been certified by peer review. It reports new medical research that has yet to be evaluated and so should not be used to guide clinical practice.

Read Now

World Health Organization

To coincide with World Encephalitis Day, the WHO have released Why encephalitis matters? Report of the virtual meeting, 28-29 June 2022.

The report outlines the public health aspects of encephalitis including diagnosis, treatment and care, prevention, support for people with encephalitis and their carers, and advocacy/awareness as well as possible mechanisms to strengthen countries’ capacity to respond to the public health challenge posed by encephalitis, with an emphasis on Low Middle IncomeCountries.

Read Now

Lancet Neurology

Dr Ava Easton, our Chief Executive, and Dr Thomas Pollak, a member of our Scientific Advisory Panel, authored a Lancet Neurology Action Potential article detailing Why Encephalitis Matters on World Encephalitis Day 2023. They talk about some ground-breaking research which details mental health after encephalitis and why we are talking about it during World Encephalitis Day. Read Now

Inspire the Mind

Ava also wrote a blog about World Encephalitis Day for the digital magazine, Inspire the Mind, which looks at the words of mental health, art and science. Read Now

Newspaper Articles

Huffington Post - I Thought I Had A Headache. It Turned Out To Be HSV-1 In My Brain

BBC - Abi Burton: GB rugby sevens Olympian wrongly sectioned and spent 25 days in coma due to immune disorder

Hindustan Times - World Encephalitis Day: Warning signs, prevention, treatment of encephalitis

Modena Press - Contro le Encefaliti la Fontana s’illumina di rosso

South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Trust - A couple will see their hometown hospital lit up in red after NHS bosses answered their call for help to spread the word about encephalitis

The Chronicle Live - South Shields gran who 'kept repeating herself' had a 'devastating' brain condition most have never heard of

Derry Journal  - Derry Council buildings to light up red tonight for World Encephalitis Day

Prensa Latina - WHO warns of serious neurological sequelae of encephalitis 

Hampshire Chronicle - Winchester Cathedral to support World Encephalitis Day 

Hanover Medical School - World Encephalitis Day 2023: The MHH lights up in red

Blogs

University of Oxford - Professor Sarosh Irani, Head of the Oxford Autoimmune Neurology Group, talks about his work and the importance of raising awareness of encephalitis on World Encephalitis Day

Poet Andy Summers wrote a poem about encephalitis for World Encephalitis Day

Lion Heart TV - Encephalitis Patients are at High Risk of Self Harm and Suicide 

Mayo Clinic - Consumer Health: What do you know about encephalitis?

Irwin and Mitchell - Encephalitis: The signs of the life-threatening condition which sees the brain swell, the need for early diagnosis and what support is available