encephalitis lethargica

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encephalitis le·thar·gi·ca

(lə-thär′jĭ-kə)

A viral epidemic encephalitis marked by apathy, paralysis of the extrinsic eye muscle, and extreme muscular weakness. It occurred in various parts of the world between 1915 and 1926. Also called sleeping sickness.

[New Latin encephalītis lēthargica : encephalītis, encephalitis + Latin lēthargica, feminine of lēthargicus, sleepy.]

encephalitis lethargica

(lɪˈθɑːdʒɪkə)

(Pathology) pathol a technical name for sleeping sickness²

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Noun

encephalitis lethargica - an encephalitis that was epidemic between 1915 and 1926; symptoms include paralysis of the extrinsic eye muscle and extreme muscular weakness

epidemic encephalitis, lethargic encephalitis, sleeping sickness, sleepy sickness

cephalitis, encephalitis, phrenitis - inflammation of the brain usually caused by a virus; symptoms include headache and neck pain and drowsiness and nausea and fever (`phrenitis' is no longer in scientific use)

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References in periodicals archive ?

The author's note at the end of the book includes information on Chinese history and encephalitis lethargica ("sleepy sickness"), and reading recommendations for both topics.

Sangster, Caitlin. Last Star Burning

Louis encephalitis viruses, human endogenous retroviruses, HIV-1 infection, tick-borne encephalitis, measles, mumps and rubella, rabies, influenza, hepatic viruses; and other topics, such as viral infections in immunocompromised hosts, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, vaccines and viral/toxin-associated neurologic infections, encephalitis lethargica, and Bell's palsy and vestibular neuronitis.

Neurovirology

Awakenings (1973), his book about a group of patients who had survived the great encephalitis lethargica epidemic of the early 20th century, inspired the 1990 Academy Award-nominated film starring Robert De Niro and Robin Williams.

Oliver Sacks Celebrates His 80th Birthday

THE STORY: It is 1971, and Audrey De'Ath, a victim of the encephalitis lethargica epidemic that swept through Europe in the early 20th century, has been catatonic in a London mental hospital since 1922.

Umbrella

His diagnosis is that they are suffering from the remnants of encephalitis lethargica, a disease that leaves the patient comatose or enshrouded in persistent, indecipherable tics or repetitive motions.