HealthAugust 15, 2026
encephalitis
en-sef-uh-LY-tis
Definition
An acute inflammation of the brain, typically caused by a viral infection.
Etymology
Derived from the Greek 'enkephalos' meaning 'brain' and the suffix '-itis' meaning 'inflammation.' It entered medical English in the 19th century to describe inflammatory brain conditions.
In the news
The article uses the term to describe the fatal condition that developed in the lemurs after they contracted a human virus, explaining the biological mechanism behind their deaths.
4 lemurs die of human herpesvirus, including one that had been used in a 'lemur yoga' class
Read the full article ↗Live Science