What is encephalitis, the condition Irish TikToker Sophie Ella contracted in 2020?

Sophie Ella contracted encephalitis, inflammation of the brain, at the beginning of the covid pandemic, which resulted in a four-month hospital stay

Sophie Ella contracted encephalitis in April 2020, just after the first covid lockdown in Ireland. Picture: Sophie Ella.

TikTok sensation Sophie Ella has opened up about contracting encephalitis in April 2020, saying she now lives life to the fullest.

Ella, best known for her ‘run, don’t walk to Dunnes’ catchphrase and fashion hauls on TikTok, shared her story on national radio last Friday.

She explained that she contracted encephalitis, inflammation of the brain, at the beginning of the covid pandemic, which resulted in a four-month hospital stay.

Speaking on Liveline on RTÉ Radio 1, Sophie Ella, who was the first person in Ireland to be diagnosed with the brain condition, recalled the experience with the life-changing illness and how she had to learn to walk and talk again.

“I felt like I had a cold, I thought I had the flu, I wasn’t feeling 100%,” she said.

Her mother, Celine, said that her symptoms began at the very beginning of covid and that nobody really knew much about covid at the time.

She said that her daughter got progressively worse as the week went on, and she had started walking into doors and didn’t know her name.

Sophie Ella was tested for meningitis when she was admitted to hospital and the next morning, her mother was told that it was covid and that the virus had caused an infection in the brain.

@_sophieellamakeup22

Ootd going out for dinner 🥘 💖✨🙌

♬ original sound - Sophie Ella

She described the situation as “awful”, explaining that she couldn’t get back into the hospital to see her daughter for the next four weeks because of the restrictions that were in place at the time and that it was “very touch and go” for her daughter.

Sophie Ella said that she has no recollection of those four weeks and that when she woke up, she couldn’t walk or talk.

“It was really hard because I could only see a certain amount of people, I could only see my mum and dad after those four weeks,” she said.

Sophie Ella went on to talk about her TikTok videos and that she now lives life to the fullest.

“I have a little quote that I live life to the fullest and I try to be as positive as I can most days,” she said.

“I started TikTok when I was in rehab because I was doing dancing videos and stuff and then I fell out of love with makeup, but I saw people doing makeup on TikTok so that’s how I started the whole makeup, fashion, all-rounder kind of thing. But I absolutely love doing what I do and it’s really rewarding seeing all the people that like what I do.” 

What is encephalitis?

Encephalitis is inflammation of the brain, which can be caused by viral or bacterial infections, or by immune cells mistakenly attacking the brain.

According to the Mayo Clinic, viruses that can lead to encephalitis can be spread by insects such as mosquitoes and ticks.

When inflammation is caused by an infection in the brain, it is known as infectious encephalitis and when it is caused by the immune system attacking the brain, it is known as autoimmune encephalitis.

However, sometimes there is no known cause.

Encephalitis may cause many different symptoms, including confusion, personality changes, seizures or trouble with movement. Encephalitis may also cause changes in sight or hearing.

According to the Mayo Clinic, most people with infectious encephalitis have flu-like symptoms, such as headache, fever, aches in muscles or joints, and fatigue or weakness.

Typically, these are followed by more serious symptoms over a period of hours to days, such as stiff neck, confusion, agitation or hallucinations, seizures, loss of feeling or being unable to move certain areas of the face or body, irregular movements, muscle weakness, trouble with speech or hearing, and loss of consciousness, including coma.

In autoimmune encephalitis, symptoms may develop more slowly over several weeks. Flu-like symptoms are less common but can sometimes happen weeks before more-serious symptoms start.

World Encephalitis Day 

World Encephalitis Day, which is observed annually on February 22, was established by the Encephalitis Society in 2014 to highlight the impact of encephalitis on individuals and families worldwide and to promote early recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of the condition.

The day aims to educate the public, healthcare professionals, and policymakers about encephalitis, emphasising the importance of early intervention to improve outcomes.

Awareness campaigns often include social media initiatives, such as the #RED4WED campaign, where supporters wear red and share stories to highlight the condition.