Encephalitis lethargica

Encephalitis lethargica
Other namesEconomo's disease; von Economo's encephalitis[1]
An illustration from von Economo's Die Encephalitis lethargica (1918) showing brain tissue of a monkey affected by Encephalitis lethargica, as seen under a microscope
SpecialtyInfectious diseases, neurology Edit this on Wikidata
CausesUnknown
FrequencyUnknown

Encephalitis lethargica is an atypical form of encephalitis. Also known as "sleeping sickness" or "sleepy sickness" (distinct from tsetse fly–transmitted sleeping sickness), it was first described in 1917 by neurologist Constantin von Economo[2][3] and pathologist Jean-René Cruchet.[4] The disease attacks the brain, leaving some victims in a statue-like condition, speechless and motionless.[5] Between 1915 and 1926,[6] an epidemic of encephalitis lethargica spread around the world. The exact number of people infected is unknown, but it is estimated that more than one million people contracted the disease during the epidemic, which directly caused more than 500,000 deaths.[7][8][9] Most of those who survived never recovered their pre-morbid vigour.

  1. ^ Berger JR, Vilensky JA (2014). "Encephalitis lethargica (von Economo's encephalitis)". Neurovirology. Handbook of Clinical Neurology. Vol. 123. pp. 745–761. doi:10.1016/B978-0-444-53488-0.00036-5. ISBN 978-0444534880. PMID 25015515.
  2. ^ Economo's disease at Who Named It?
  3. ^ von Economo, K. (May 10, 1917). "Die Encephalitis lethargica". Wiener klinische Wochenschrift [Vienna clinical weekly] (in German). 30. Leipzig and Vienna: Franz Deuticke 1918: 581–585.
  4. ^ Cruchet, R; Moutier, J; Calmettes, A (1917). "Quarante cas d'encéphalomyélite subaiguë" [Forty cases of (subacute) encephalitis lethargica]. Bull Soc Med Hôp (in French). 41. Paris: 614–616.
  5. ^ Dale, Russell C.; Church, Andrew J.; Surtees, Robert A.H.; Lees, Andrew J.; Adcock, Jane E.; Harding, Brian; Neville, Brian G. R.; Giovannoni, Gavin (2004). "Encephalitis Lethargica Syndrome: 20 New Cases and Evidence of Basal Ganglia Autoimmunity". Brain. 127 (1): 21–33. doi:10.1093/brain/awh008. PMID 14570817.
  6. ^ "Encephalitis lethargica" at Dorland's Medical Dictionary
  7. ^ Ravenholt, R.T.; Foege, William H. (1982-10-16). "1918 Influenza, encephalitis lethargica, Parkinsonism". The Lancet. 320 (8303): 860–864. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(82)90820-0. ISSN 0140-6736. PMID 6126720. S2CID 45138249. Originally published as Volume 2, Issue 8303. Archived from the original on 2021-07-12. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  8. ^ McCall, Sherman; Vilensky, Joel A.; Gilman, Sid; Taubenberger, Jeffery K. (May 2008). "The relationship between encephalitis lethargica and influenza: A critical analysis". Journal of Neurovirology. 14 (3): 177–185. doi:10.1080/13550280801995445. ISSN 1355-0284. PMC 2778472. PMID 18569452.
  9. ^ Hoffman, Leslie A.; Vilensky, Joel A. (2017-08-01). "Encephalitis lethargica: 100 years after the epidemic". Brain. 140 (8): 2246–2251. doi:10.1093/brain/awx177. ISSN 0006-8950. PMID 28899018. Archived from the original on 2021-03-04. Retrieved 2020-12-23.