Early Summer Meningoencephalitis: Symptoms, Complaints, Signs

The following symptoms and complaints may indicate early summer meningoencephalitis (TBE):

In approximately 70% of patients, TBE manifests with a two-phase fever course….

Early phase symptoms (like summer flu) [approximately 1-week prodromal phase (precursor phase of illness)].

  • Cephalgia (headache)
  • Catarrh – mild inflammation of the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract.
  • Moderate fever
  • Nausea (nausea)/vomiting
  • Abdominal pain (abdominal pain)
  • Vertigo (dizziness)

Approximately 70% of all infections are asymptomatic or the second phase of the disease is absent. In 10% of infected people develops after a symptom-free interval of about a week incoming with sudden onset of high fever (> 40 ° C):

Typical symptoms of meningitis are:

  • Reduced general condition and fever
  • Common symptoms:
    • Cephalgia (headache)
  • Occasional symptoms:
    • Meningismus (neck stiffness).
    • Neuritis of the cranial nerves III, V-XII

Typical symptoms of encephalitis are:

  • Significantly reduced general condition and fever.
  • Common symptoms:
    • Quantitative disorders of consciousness (soporific/deep sleep, coma).
    • Qualitative disorders of consciousness (delirium, hallucinations).
    • Cognition disorders (memory disorders).
    • Extremities paresis (paralysis of the extremities).
    • Cranial nerve palsies (facial paralysis, hearing impairment, dysphagia, speech impairment).
    • Ataxia (disturbances in the coordination of movements).
  • Occasional symptoms:
    • Tremor (shaking)
    • Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing)
    • Mimic tremor
    • Epilepsy (seizures)

Typical symptoms of myelitis are:

  • Reduced general condition and fever
  • Common symptoms:
    • Bladder disorders
    • Limb paresis
  • Occasional symptoms:
    • Bladder spasms
    • Pain in the trunk and extremities

In children and adolescents, severe disease courses occur about 10 times less frequently compared with adults.