Encephalitis - Prevention

There are two major ways to avoid encephalitis. One is to reduce the risk of getting the disease from another human who has been infected. Most infections of this kind are spread hand-to-hand or mouth-to-hand. To avoid transmission of this kind, a person should remember to wash his or her hands frequently during the day.

A second way to avoid encephalitis is to reduce the chance of being bitten by mosquitoes, rats, bats, and other animals that carry the disease. One should be aware when such animals may be around. For example, mosquitoes tend to be more common in warm, moist areas. They tend to be more active at dawn and dusk. A person who has to be outdoors during these times should try not to have bare arms and legs. Mosquito repellent should be used to prevent bites.

Vaccines (treatments that enable the body to build immunity to certain viruses) are available for some viruses, such as polio, herpes B, and equine encephalitis. A person who may be at risk for these viruses should have injections of the vaccines.