encephalitis

noun

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en·ceph·a·li·tis | \ in-ˌse-fə-ˈlī-təs

plural encephalitides\ in-ˌse-fə-ˈli-tə-ˌdēz

Definition of encephalitis

: inflammation of the brain that is caused especially by infection with a virus (such as herpes simplex or West Nile virus) or less commonly by bacterial or fungal infection or autoimmune reaction

Note: Encephalitis may be asymptomatic or present with mild to severe symptoms (such as fever, headache, confusion, seizures, or loss of consciousness) sometimes progressing to coma or death.

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Examples of encephalitis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Other ailments diagnosed included intracerebral hemorrhages, dementia-like symptoms, and inflammation of the brain known as encephalitis. — David Hogberg, Washington Examiner, "The puzzle of COVID-19 on the brain," 21 Jan. 2021 The company announced a program to develop vaccines for the seasonal flu, the Nipah virus (a virus that can cause various conditions, including encephalitis), and HIV. — Annalisa Merelli, Quartz, "After Covid-19 success, Moderna is going after an HIV vaccine," 11 Jan. 2021 Liao Fangsheng tried to petition the central government after his son, Pengyong, was found to have viral encephalitis. — New York Times, "Scandal Dogs AstraZeneca’s Vaccine Partner in China," 7 Dec. 2020 In her early 20s, after a brilliant academic career, Gallen was diagnosed with encephalitis, which left her with brain damage. — Washington Post, "Make room for ‘Big Girl, Small Town’," 2 Dec. 2020 In severe cases, COVID-19 can also lead to encephalitis or stroke. — Stephani Sutherland, Scientific American, "What We Know So Far about How COVID Affects the Nervous System," 22 Oct. 2020 Symptoms typically appear about four to 10 days after a bite, with severe cases progressing to encephalitis. — Madeline Farber, Fox News, "Case of rare mosquito-borne EEE virus suspected in Michigan," 18 Sep. 2020 Only about 4 to 5 percent of people who become infected with the EEE virus contract encephalitis, and the U.S. has on average 11 cases of the disease each year. — NBC News, "Deadly mosquito virus prompts Michigan to urge residents to stay indoors," 18 Sep. 2020 The disease is related to bovine spongiform encephalitis, or mad cow disease, although CWD has not been shown to be transferable to humans. — From Usa Today Network And Wire Reports, USA TODAY, "Catholic guilt, pandemic rage room, dairy farm upside: News from around our 50 states," 15 Sep. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'encephalitis.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

10 Feb 2021

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“Encephalitis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/encephalitis. Accessed 1 Mar. 2021.

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More Definitions for encephalitis

encephalitis

noun

en·ceph·a·li·tis | \ in-ˌsef-ə-ˈlīt-əs

plural encephalitides\ -ˈlit-ə-ˌdēz

Medical Definition of encephalitis

: inflammation of the brain that is caused especially by infection with a virus (such as herpes simplex, varicella zoster, or West Nile virus) or less commonly by bacterial or fungal infection or autoimmune reaction

Note: Encephalitis may be asymptomatic or present with mild to severe symptoms (such as fever, headache, confusion, seizures, or loss of consciousness) sometimes progressing to coma or death.