If not treated quickly, encephalitis can lead to serious complications. Photo: Shutterstock
The summer months, with long and sunny days, means a lot of time spent, in the park, in nature, on the beach. Beyond fun and relaxation, this exposure also brings risks, from sunburn, to the knees and insect bites. Most of the time, these pinching are harmless. However, in recent years, due to climatic changes, in the world the cases of encephalitis have increased through mosquitoes and tick bites.
Encephalitis is an inflammation of the brain, which can be bacterial or viral; The viral one is often transmitted by mosquito or tick pinch. Although many consider it a rare disease, Dr. Ava Easton, CEO of the organization Encehalitis International, says it is more common than we imagined: about 1.5 million cases per global level, ie three people per minute. “People are often surprised to find out that encephalitis has a higher incidence in many countries than amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or bacterial meningitis. We hope to increase awareness, so that people will look at it as seriously how sepsis or meningitis,” she says, quoted by, quoted by Parents.com.
Why do encephalitis cases increase?
Dr. Ava Easton points out that researchers do not know for sure to what extent the number of cases has increased in recent years, because data monitoring and collection are still deficient. However, there are clear reasons to believe that the incidence of the disease is closely related to climate change. “As the earth warms up, new or emerging infections, including those that can cause encephalitis, will continue to spread,” she explains. “The vectors of infectious diseases, such as mosquitoes and ticks, reach new communities and media. The situation becomes even more complicated because people live closer to animals, and rural areas decrease. All these influence public health, sometimes dramatically.”
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