What happened encephalitis Lethargica?
Encephalitis lethargica assumed its most virulent form between October 1918 and January 1919. The pandemic disappeared in 1927, as abruptly and mysteriously as it first appeared.
What was encephalitis Lethargica?
Encephalitis lethargica is a disease characterized by high fever, headache, double vision, delayed physical and mental response, and lethargy. In acute cases, patients may enter coma.
What caused post encephalitic syndrome?
Post-encephalitic Parkinsonism is a disease believed to be caused by a viral illness that triggers degeneration of the nerve cells in the substantia nigra. Overall, this degeneration leads to clinical parkinsonism.
What drug was administered to patients suffering from encephalitis Lethargica?
In this interview, we talked about his work with patients who were left in a catatonic state from an epidemic of encephalitis. In 1969, he treated them with the drug L-Dopa, and several of these patients miraculously came out of their trance-like state. These patients were the subject of his book, “Awakenings.”
Can you still get encephalitis lethargica?
There has been no epidemic recurrence of encephalitis lethargica since the early 20th century, but putative sporadic cases continue to occur.
Can you still get encephalitis Lethargica?
Was Encephalitis Lethargica related to the Spanish flu?
Encephalitis lethargica (von Economo’s encephalitis) was a mysterious epidemic that swept the world from 1917 to 1928 (Vilensky et al., 2006). The epidemic paralleled the 1918 Spanish influenza pandemic and some experts believed both were caused by an influenza virus (ARNM, 1921).
Is L-DOPA still used?
Five decades after its introduction, L-DOPA is still the most effective and widely used drug to alleviate the symptoms of PD (4). In recent years, deep brain stimulation (DBS) has become a standard evidence-based therapy for severe movement disorders such as PD (5), tremor (6) and dystonia (7).
Does sleeping sickness still exist?
Without treatment, sleeping sickness typically results in death. The disease occurs regularly in some regions of sub-Saharan Africa with the population at risk being about 70 million in 36 countries. An estimated 11,000 people are currently infected with 2,800 new infections in 2015. In 2018 there were 977 new cases.
Is there a recurrence of encephalitis lethargica?
The cause of encephalitis lethargica is unknown. Between 1917 to 1928, an epidemic of encephalitis lethargica spread throughout the world, but no recurrence of the epidemic has since been reported. Postencephalitic Parkinson’s disease may develop after a bout of encephalitis-sometimes as long as a year after the illness.
What does Die Encephalitis lethargica stand for?
In his paper, aptly named “ Die Encephalitis lethargica “, Economo christened this new disease, Encephalitis lethargica, which means something along the lines of “brain illness that makes you sleepy”.
When did Finizio encephalitis lethargica first appear?
Finizio Encephalitis lethargica, an infectious disorder that only once appeared in epidemic form (1916-1926), is largely forgotten now. But this curious illness provided significant insights into brain function that still have relevance today.
Which is the most serious form of encephalitis?
Encephalitis lethargica (EL) is a serious and rare form of encephalitis, which can present with variable and serious symptoms. It is typically seen during discrete epidemics but sporadic cases still occur.