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Mayo Clinic Laboratories > Neurology > Encephalopathy

Encephalopathy

Pinpointing infectious and autoimmune drivers of encephalitis

For about half of patients with encephalopathy, or inflammation of the brain, the exact cause cannot be determined. In those for whom a cause is found, the two main types are autoimmune encephalitis (AE) or infectious encephalitis (IE). Based on a Mayo Clinic study, autoimmune encephalitis was found to be as common as infectious encephalitis.1

Because these conditions are clinically similar but require different treatments, identifying the correct cause is critical to access the appropriate therapy.

Our menu of autoimmune and infectious encephalopathy testing includes data-backed evaluations that provide diagnostic confidence to support individualized treatment selection.

Autoimmune encephalopathy Autoimmune encephalopathy
Autoimmune encephalopathy

Recently identified as being as common as infectious encephalitis, autoimmune encephalitis can have devastating results when misdiagnosed. Our autoimmune encephalopathy evaluations are part of our phenotype-specific testing approach, which targets specific antibodies related to rare and complex cases. Developed by some of the world’s most knowledgeable autoimmune neurology specialists, our encephalopathy evaluations can pinpoint the correct cause and propel appropriate treatment.

Infectious encephalopathy Infectious encephalopathy
Infectious encephalopathy

Our infectious encephalopathy testing includes the Karius Spectrum™ test, which uses metagenomic sequencing to detect microbial cell-free DNA from thousands of pathogens circulating throughout the body to identify serious and complex infections.

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Nailing the Suspect: The Prevalence of Autoimmune Encephalitis Compared with Infectious Encephalitis

For people with encephalitis, rapid treatment of their acute brain inflammation is critical for avoiding devastating physical and cognitive deficits. But appropriate treatment requires identifying the culprit causing the symptoms.

Beyond the Test Result: Greg Widseth

Greg Widseth was suddenly hit by a rare disease that prompted his immune system to attack his brain cells, resulting in as many as 60 seizures a day. Special blood and spinal fluid tests developed by Mayo Medical Laboratories confirmed that Widseth had antibodies known to target certain brain cells.