Abstract: Encephalitis is a complex neurological syndrome caused by inflammation of the brain parenchyma. Due to the variety of causes， broad differential diagnosis， rapid progression of the disease， frequent need of intensive supportive management， and the lack of effective therapeutic means of a variety of primary causes， the diagnosis and treatment of encephalitis are still huge challenges. In 2015， Australian Society of Infectious Diseases(ASID)， Australasian College of Emergency Medicine (ACEM)， Australian and New Zealand Association of Neurologists (ANZAN) and Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) jointly formulated consensus guidelines for the investigation and management of encephalitis in adults and children in Australia and New Zealand， this is by far the latest regional expert consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of encephalitis. This guideline was established based on the previous European and American guidelines of encephalitis and integrated the latest progresses of encephalitis in recent years， the epidemiology， etiology， diagnosis， differential diagnosis， treatment and comprehensive management of encephalitis were illustrated systematically. We are here to interpret the guidelines， in order to provide references to Chinese doctors for management of encephalitis more better.

Key words: encephalitis, diagnosis, treatment, expert consensus