herpetic encephalitis /hərpet′ik/ [Gk, herpein, to creep + enkephalos, brain + itis, inflammation] , the most common form of acute encephalitis, caused by a herpesvirus and characterized by hemorrhagic necrosis of parts of the temporal and frontal lobes. Onset is over several days and involves fever, headache, seizures, stupor, and often coma, frequently with a fatal outcome.
