What is encephalitis, what are the symptoms, where is Japanese encephalitis found and is it transmitted by ticks?
Writer Jodi Ann Bickley's life was turned upside down when she was bitten by a tick at Bestival aged just 23
A YOUNG writer who performed at gigs across the UK had to teach herself to write again after being struck down with brain swelling disease encephalitis.
Jodi Ann Bickley's life was turned upside down when she was bitten by a tick at Bestival aged just 23. We reveal what you need to know about the disease...
What is encephalitis?
Encephalitis is a serious condition which causes the sufferer's brain to swell.
It can be life threatening and and requires urgent treatment in hospital.
Anyone can be affected by the disease but the very young and elderly are most at risk.
A number of medications and injections are capable of calming encephalitis symptoms.
Some people are able to make a full recovery, but others will be affected by persistent symptoms, as a result of damage to the brain, for the rest of their lives.
Having up-to-date, complete vaccines for any countries you're travelling to is the best way to prevent encephalitis.
What are the symptoms of encephalitis?
According to the , symptoms can start off flu-like - including a high temperature and headache - but this isn't always the case.
More serious symptoms develop over hours, days or weeks, including:
- Confusion or disorientation
- Seizures
- Changes in personality and behaviour
- Difficulty speaking
- Weakness or loss of movement in some parts of the body
- Loss of consciousness
If someone has any of these more serious symptoms, dial 999 immediately.
What is the cause of encephalitis?
It's not always clear what causes encephalitis, but it can be caused by:
- Viral infections – several common viruses can spread to the brain and cause encephalitis in rare cases, including the herpes simplex virus, which causes cold sores and genital herpes, and the chickenpox virus
- A problem with the immune system – sometimes if something goes wrong with the immune system, it mistakenly attacks the brain and causes it to become inflamed
- Bacterial or fungal infections
Some types of encephalitis are spread by mosquitoes - such as Japanese encephalitis - ticks -such as tick-borne encephalitis - and mammals - such as rabies.
What is Japanese encephalitis?
This particular type is a viral brain infection found in pigs and birds, which is passed to mosquitoes when they bite infected animals.
There is currently no cure for the disease and treatment involves supporting the functions of the body as it tries to fight off the infection.
Sufferers will usually be admitted to hospital so they can be given fluids, oxygen and medication.
The disease is usually common in rural areas throughout South East Asia, the Pacific islands and the Far East.
Around 1 in every 250 people who become infected with Japanese encephalitis develop more severe symptoms as the infection spreads to the brain.
This usually happens between five and 15 days after infection and symptoms can include:
- High temperature
- Seizures
- Stiff neck
- Confusion
- Inability to speak
- Uncontrollable shaking of body parts
- Muscle weakness or paralysis
Up to one in every three people who develop these more serious symptoms will die as a result of the infection.
Who is Jodi Ann Bickley?
Jodi Ann Bickley is an author who used to perform her poems at gigs and festivals all around the UK, introducing stars like Ed Sheeran at her shows.
But when she was just 23, Jodi's entire life was turned upside down - by a tick bite at Bestival.
The young poet, from Kings Heath, Birmingham, was one of the one-in-200,000 people who developed encephalitis as the result of a bite.
Within three weeks from being bitten, Jodi's condition resulted in headaches and vertigo, which triggered a devastating stroke.
Jodi was left paralysed down her right side, with the author unable to walk or write any more.
But Jodi refused to give in to her condition, and taught herself to write again despite the ongoing side-effects of her stroke.
Now 28, and suffering from depression, anxiety and ME, new mum Jodi is determined to brighten up the world in any way she can.
She started a project called One Million Lovely Letters, and went on to write a best-selling book with the same name.
