Encephalitis Lethargica: A Mysterious Recurring Epidemic Illness

2023-12-21

This unusual, recurrent epidemic illness has popped its head in and out of the annals of history. It goes by many names: the English Sweats, coma somnolentum, Schlafkrankheit ("sleep sickness"), and the Nona, to name a few. The last time it was widespread was during the influenza pandemic of 1915-1926, but medical case studies and reports of recurrent epidemcis date back to the 16th century. Is it a new viral or bacteral illness? Or something more complicated? We'll do our best to sort it out in this episode of the show...

This unusual, recurrent epidemic illness has popped its head in and out of the annals of history. It goes by many names: the English Sweats, coma somnolentum, Schlafkrankheit ("sleep sickness"), and the Nona, to name a few.

The last time it was widespread was during the influenza pandemic of 1915-1926, but medical case studies and reports of recurrent epidemcis date back to the 16th century.

Is it a new viral or bacteral illness? Or something more complicated?

We'll do our best to sort it out in this episode of the show.

Sources:
-https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encephalitis_lethargica

-https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Sacks

-https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Awakenings

-Encephalitis lethargica: 100 years after the epidemic: Brain, Volume 140, Issue 8, August 2017, Pages 2246–2251, https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awx177

-https://academic.oup.com/brain/article/140/8/2246/3970828?login=false

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