National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences

West Nile virus encephalitis


This disease is grouped under:
West Nile encephalitis is a form of West Nile virus that affects the neurological system. Signs and symptoms may include headache, fever, neck stiffness, disorientation, tremors, seizures, paralysis, or coma. West Nile virus is generally spread to humans by infected mosquitos. West Nile encephalitis, specifically, occurs when the virus crosses the blood-brain barrier and infects the central nervous system. Although West Nile encephalitis can affect anyone, people who are over age 60, have received an organ transplant, or are affected by certain medical conditions such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension, and kidney disease have the highest risk of developing the condition. Treatment is supportive and hospitalization may be required to address the associated symptoms. Recovery may take several weeks or months and some of the neurologic effects may be permanent.[1][2][3]
Last updated: 10/14/2016

Research helps us better understand diseases and can lead to advances in diagnosis and treatment. This section provides resources to help you learn about medical research and ways to get involved.

Clinical Research Resources

  • ClinicalTrials.gov lists trials that are related to West Nile virus encephalitis. Click on the link to go to ClinicalTrials.gov to read descriptions of these studies.

    Please note: Studies listed on the ClinicalTrials.gov website are listed for informational purposes only; being listed does not reflect an endorsement by GARD or the NIH. We strongly recommend that you talk with a trusted healthcare provider before choosing to participate in any clinical study.

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

  • You can obtain information on this topic from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC is recognized as the lead federal agency for developing and applying disease prevention and control, environmental health, and health promotion and education activities designed to improve the health of the people of the United States.
  • The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) has a report for patients and families about this condition. NORD is a patient advocacy organization for individuals with rare diseases and the organizations that serve them.

In-Depth Information

  • Medscape Reference provides information on this topic. You may need to register to view the medical textbook, but registration is free.
  • The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.

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  1. Burke A Cunha, MD. West Nile Encephalitis. Medscape Reference. October 2015; http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/234009-overview.
  2. West Nile Virus. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. September 2016; http://www.cdc.gov/westnile/index.html.
  3. West Nile Encephalitis. NORD. 2008; https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/west-nile-encephalitis/.