In its early stages, Japanese encephalitis appears to be a flu-like illness with headache, fever, gastrointestinal symptoms, confusion and other behavior disturbances. In about one of every 200 cases, the illness progresses to inflammation of the brain, with more than half of those cases ending in permanent disability or death. There is currently no effective drug treatment for the disease once it sets in - it can only run its course. Infection during the first and second trimesters is associated with intrauterine infection and miscarriage.