acute necrotizing hemorrhagic encephalopathy, a degenerative brain disease, characterized by marked edema, numerous minute hemorrhages, necrosis of blood vessel walls, demyelination of nerve fibers, and infiltration of the meninges with neutrophils, lymphocytes, and histiocytes. Typical signs are severe headache, fever, and vomiting; seizures may occur, and the patient may rapidly lose consciousness. Treatment consists of decompression via withdrawal of cerebrospinal fluid. Also called acute hemorrhagic leukoencephalitis.
