EXCLUSIVE: Encephalitis Symptoms Like Headaches and Fever Can Be Misleading! WHO Releases Technical Brief to Raise Awareness

When we talk about health, conversations often revolve around diabetes, hypertension, and major illnesses like cancer. But there’s one serious condition that tends to get overlooked—encephalitis. Every year, around 1 to 1.5 million people worldwide are affected by this disease, and the WHO is working to bring more attention to it.

Dr. Ava Easton, Chief Executive of Encephalitis International and a global expert on the condition, highlights that Asia, especially India, Japan, and Southeast Asian countries, bears the highest burden of encephalitis. “India has reported the highest incidence, with studies showing 16 cases per 100,000 people,” she shares.

What makes encephalitis especially concerning is its symptoms, which can be easily mistaken for other common illnesses. “Early symptoms such as headaches and fever often look like flu or other infections. Other emotional, cognitive and behavioural changes that may be a symptom for encephalitis could be overlooked too and attributed to other factors such as stress or other conditions such as mental health conditions. Definitive diagnosis of encephalitis ultimately requires medical attention (e.g., neurologist, infectious disease specialist) who will look for a history of the illness, symptoms and signs and results of the tests including CSF analysis and brain imaging.”

The most common cause of infectious encephalitis is viral infections, responsible for nearly 40% of cases. The type of virus varies by region, herpes simplex virus (HSV) is the leading cause in the UK, while mosquito-borne viruses like Japanese encephalitis (JEV), West Nile virus (WNV), dengue, and chikungunya are more prevalent in other areas. Encephalitis can also be triggered by an autoimmune response (autoimmune encephalitis, AE), accounting for 20-30% of cases. In some cases, despite thorough testing, the cause remains unknown.

Environmental factors play a huge role in the spread of encephalitis. Rising global temperatures have expanded the range of mosquitoes that carry these viruses, increasing their presence in new and existing regions for longer periods. Factors like rice cultivation and proximity to animal hosts also contribute to its spread.

Early detection is key—survival rates and recovery outcomes improve significantly if treatment, such as antiviral medication, is started within 24-48 hours of symptom onset.

To combat encephalitis, WHO focuses on vaccination programs, surveillance, and training for healthcare workers. Its 2025 technical brief offers a roadmap for healthcare systems and policymakers to strengthen prevention and response efforts.

Beyond encephalitis, WHO’s priority diseases include COVID-19, Ebola, Marburg virus, MERS, SARS, Nipah virus, and "Disease X"—a potential future outbreak from an unknown pathogen. Avan also highlights how diseases once rare in places like the U.S., such as dengue and malaria, are now on the rise. “With increasing global travel and trade, the spread of infectious diseases is inevitable. Warmer temperatures are also allowing mosquitoes to survive in new habitats, making diseases like dengue and malaria more widespread than ever.”

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