👉 Pilocerytosis, also known as polio encephalitis, is a serious and potentially life-threatening infection of the brain. It occurs when the virus, named Poliovirus A16 (poliomyelitis), enters the nervous system through the mouth or nose. The virus damages the nerve cells in the brain and can cause seizures, which are sudden sharp painless jerks or twitches that occur suddenly and last only a few seconds. The infection is more common in