<unk>  <unk> , or<unk>  demyelinating<unk> , is a rare autoimmune disease marked by a sudden, widespread attack of inflammation in the brain and spinal cord. As well as causing the brain and spinal cord to become inflamed,<unk>  also attacks the nerves of the central nervous system and damages their myelin insulation, which, as a result, destroys the white matter. It is often triggered by a viral infection or (very rarely) vaccinations.<unk> 's symptoms resemble the symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS), so the disease itself is sorted into the classification of the multiple sclerosis borderline diseases. However,<unk>  has several features that distinguish it from MS. Unlike MS,<unk>  occurs usually in children and is marked with rapid fever, although adolescents and adults can get the disease too.<unk>  consists of a single flare-up whereas MS is marked with several flare-ups (or relapses), over a long period of time. Relapses following<unk>  are reported in up to a quarter of patients, but the majority of these 'multiphasic' presentations following<unk>  likely represent MS.<unk>  is also distinguished by a loss of consciousness, coma and death, which is very rare in MS, except in severe cases. It affects about 8 per 1,000,000 people per year. Although it occurs in all ages, most reported cases are in children and adolescents, with the average age around 5 to 8 years old. The disease affects males and females almost equally.<unk>  shows seasonal variation with higher incidence in winter and spring months which may coincide with higher viral infections during these months. The mortality rate may be as high as 5%; however, full recovery is seen in 50 to 75% of cases with increase in survival rates up to 70 to 90% with figures including minor residual disability as well. The average time to recover from<unk>  flare-ups is one to six months.<unk>  produces multiple inflammatory lesions in the brain and spinal cord, particularly in the white matter. Usually these are found in the subcortical and central white matter and cortical gray-white junction of both cerebral hemispheres, cerebellum, brainstem, and spinal cord, but periventricular white matter and gray matter of the cortex, thalami and basal ganglia may also be involved. When a person has more than one demyelinating episode of<unk> , the disease is then called recurrent<unk><unk>  or multiphasic<unk><unk>  (MDEM). Also, a fulminant course in adults has been described.
Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis
Acute flaccid myelitis
Viliuisk encephalomyelitis
Saint Louis encephalitis
Powassan encephalitis
La Crosse encephalitis
Eastern equine encephalitis
Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis