Medically Reviewed By:
Last Updated on February 3, 2023 by Neelam Singh
No. As per the World Health Organization, “Epilepsy is not contagious”.
It is a misconception that epilepsy is communicable. This belief has social implications, leading to stigmatisation and a dreadful impact on the patient’s life. A study has found that a combination of these traditional beliefs, poverty, lack of medical care, and the inability to fulfill social roles has a negative impact on the lives of people living with epilepsy (PWE).
You cannot catch epilepsy from anyone. It is a non-communicable neurological disease that affects the Central Nervous System. Anyone can suffer from this disease irrespective of their age, gender and ethnicity.
Although there are various underlying mechanisms that can lead to epilepsy, the exact cause is usually unknown in most cases. The causes of epilepsy can be divided into genetic, infectious, structural, metabolic, immune, and unknown.
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