![]() Regional Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (RNICU).Hospitalists & Internal Medicine Physicians.Starting antiviral therapy early improves your chance for recovery. But even with treatment, the risk of death can be up to 20%, according to the Encephalitis Society. ![]() Viral encephalitis is treated with antiviral medications like acyclovir given through an IV line. You may need imaging tests, such as MRI and lumbar puncture (spinal tap). Your doctor will look for symptoms like severe headache and fever. People with viral encephalitis normally develop symptoms very quickly and can go from feeling normal to being critically ill in a matter of days. For that reason, there is a high risk of memory loss and seizures. Viruses can damage a part of the brain, called the temporal lobe, responsible for memory. Other viruses, such as West Nile virus, which is transmitted through a mosquito bite, can also cause encephalitis. The most dangerous type of encephalitis is caused by a viral infection, often the herpes simplex virus. Viral encephalitis SymptomsĮncephalitis is irritation and swelling (inflammation) of the brain. Early treatment offers the best chance for recovery from WKS. ![]() If gait difficulty is a problem, physical therapy may also be needed. People with WKS can also experience alcohol withdrawal, which can be life-threatening.ĭoctors will give you thiamine through an IV line, prescribe thiamine supplements, and treat other symptoms such as agitation or withdrawal with benzodiazepine medications. ![]() Wernicke’s encephalopathy can be life-threatening and is a medical emergency. But others with nutritional deficiencies may be at risk, including people who have a poor diet or don’t have access to enough food, those who have had weight-loss surgery, and those with serious illnesses, such as cancer or AIDS. WKS is more likely to occur in people with alcoholism. Korsakoff syndrome can cause confabulation, which is when people create false memories and are convinced that the information is true. In Wernicke’s encephalopathy, people can experience confusion, difficulty walking, and jerking eye movements. This condition is a spectrum, ranging from the acute stage, called Wernicke's encephalopathy, to the chronic stage, called Korsakoff syndrome. Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (WKS) is caused by a deficiency of thiamine, also called vitamin B1.
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