22 February marked World Encephalitis Day, an international day dedicated to raising awareness and promoting early diagnosis of encephalitis, which affects around 500,000 people worldwide every year.
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This year’s campaign focuses on autoimmune encephalitis, a potentially treatable condition that requires timely recognition. The main symptoms can be summarised by the acronym F.L.A.M.E.S.:
- F – Flu-like symptoms
- L – Loss of consciousness
- A – Acute headache
- M – Memory problems
- E – Emotional or behavioural changes
- S – Seizures
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Autoantibody testing is essential for confirming autoimmune forms, including NMDAR encephalitis. Prompt diagnosis allows for rapid initiation of immunotherapy, with significant recovery in 70–80% of patients.
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Our laboratory can support clinicians with specialised neuroimmunological analyses and tests, ensuring rapid and accurate diagnoses and improving patient outcomes.