Of course, getting a virus does not mean that someone will develop encephalitis. Most kids with encephalitis need care in a hospital, usually in an intensive care unit ICU.
Doctors will watch their blood pressure, heart rate, breathing, and body fluids to prevent further swelling of the brain. Many people with encephalitis make a full recovery. In some cases, brain swelling can cause lasting problem like learning disabilities, speech problems, memory loss, or lack of muscle control. Speech therapy , physical therapy , or occupational therapy can help in these cases.
Most of the time, the acute phase of the illness when symptoms are the most severe lasts up to a week. Full recovery can take longer, often several weeks or months. Encephalitis can't be prevented, but you can avoid the illnesses that may lead to it. Immunizations protect kids from many common childhood illnesses.
So follow the immunization schedule recommended by your doctor. Kids should also avoid contact with anyone who already has encephalitis. It's also important for everyone in your family to wash their hands well and often.
Meningitis often appears with flu-like symptoms that develop over days. Distinctive rashes are typically seen in some forms of the disease. Meningococcal meningitis may be associated with kidney and adrenal gland failure and shock. Individuals with encephalitis often show mild flu-like symptoms. In more severe cases, people may experience problems with speech or hearing, double vision, hallucinations, personality changes, and loss of consciousness.
Other severe complications include loss of sensation in some parts of the body, muscle weakness, partial paralysis in the arms and legs, impaired judgment, seizures, and memory loss. Following a physical exam and medical history to review activities of the past several days or weeks such as recent exposure to insects, ticks or animals, any contact with ill persons, or recent travel; preexisting medical conditions and medications , the doctor may order various diagnostic tests to confirm the presence of infection or inflammation.
Brain imaging can reveal signs of brain inflammation, internal bleeding or hemorrhage, or other brain abnormalities. Two painless, noninvasive imaging procedures are routinely used to diagnose meningitis and encephalitis.
Additionally, electroencephalography, or EEG, can identify abnormal brain waves by monitoring electrical activity in the brain noninvasively through the skull. People who are suspected of having meningitis or encephalitis should receive immediate, aggressive medical treatment.
Both diseases can progress quickly and have the potential to cause severe, irreversible neurological damage.
Early treatment of bacterial meningitis involves antibiotics that can cross the blood-brain barrier a lining of cells that keeps harmful micro-organisms and chemicals from entering the brain. Appropriate antibiotic treatment for most types of meningitis can greatly reduce the risk of dying from the disease.
Anticonvulsants to prevent seizures and corticosteroids to reduce brain inflammation may be prescribed. Infected sinuses may need to be drained.
Corticosteroids such as prednisone may be ordered to relieve brain pressure and swelling and to prevent hearing loss that is common in Haemophilus influenza meningitis. Lyme disease is treated with antibiotics. Antibiotics, developed to kill bacteria, are not effective against viruses.
Fortunately, viral meningitis is rarely life threatening and no specific treatment is needed. Fungal meningitis is treated with intravenous antifungal medications. Antiviral drugs used to treat viral encephalitis include acyclovir and ganciclovir.
For most encephalitis-causing viruses, no specific treatment is available. Autoimmune causes of encephalitis are treated with additional immunosuppressant drugs and screening for underlying tumors when appropriate. Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, a non-infectious inflammatory brain disease mostly seen in children, is treated with steroids. Anticonvulsants may be prescribed to stop or prevent seizures.
Corticosteroids can reduce brain swelling. Affected individuals with breathing difficulties may require artificial respiration. Once the acute illness is under control, comprehensive rehabilitation should include cognitive rehabilitation and physical, speech, and occupational therapy.
People should avoid sharing food, utensils, glasses, and other objects with someone who may be exposed to or have the infection. People should wash their hands often with soap and rinse under running water. What You Need to Know Symptoms of encephalitis vary depending on the affected area of the brain, but often include headache, sensitivity to light, stiff neck, mental confusion and seizures. What is encephalitis?
Infectious Encephalitis Infectious encephalitis is typically caused by a viral infection. Encephalitis can also result from certain viruses carried by mosquitoes, ticks and other insects or animals such as: West Nile virus Japanese encephalitis virus La Crosse virus St.
Louis virus Equine viruses Powassan virus Zika Chikungunya Other infectious microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi and parasites can also cause encephalitis, though rarely. Antibodies may target specific proteins or receptors in the brain, which determine the type of autoimmune encephalitis: In anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis, the immune system targets the NMDA receptors in the brain.
Encephalitis Symptoms Acute encephalitis shows up with an onset of symptoms that get worse over the course of days to weeks. Physical Symptoms Fever Seizures Headache Movement disorders Sensitivity to light Sensitivity to sound Neck stiffness Loss of consciousness In severe cases, encephalitis symptoms may include: Weakness or partial paralysis in the arms and legs Double vision Impairment of speech or hearing Coma Cognitive Symptoms Excessive sleepiness Confusion and disorientation Irritability Anxiety Psychosis Hallucinations Memory loss Other behavioral changes Cognitive impairment Symptoms Due to Specific Types of Encephalitis Encephalitis caused by certain infections or autoimmune processes can show up with characteristic symptoms.
A type of autoimmune encephalitis affecting NMDA receptors can start with a flu-like illness. It can then lead to behavioral changes and unusual movement patterns affecting the mouth and face, cognitive decline and impaired function of the autonomic nervous system.
Another type of autoimmune encephalitis LGI1 is associated with seizures or other abnormal movement of the face or arm.
Encephalitis Diagnosis You may need to be evaluated for encephalitis if you are experiencing a combination of symptoms such as fever, altered state of awareness, seizures or changes in behavior or movement. Tests for encephalitis can include: Neuroimaging, such as a brain MRI or CT scan A lumbar puncture spinal tap to check for signs of infection in the brain or spinal cord Electroencephalogram EEG to look for seizures or specific patterns of electrical activity in the brain Blood tests or urine and stool tests to identify organisms or antibodies responsible for an infection Additional tests may include: A sputum culture tests the material that is coughed up from the lungs to see if certain infections are present.
In rare cases, a biopsy of affected brain tissue may be performed to allow for examination under a microscope. Intracranial pressure monitoring ICP measures the pressure inside the skull to monitor the brain swelling. Encephalitis Treatment The key to surviving encephalitis is early detection and effective treatment of the underlying cause. Encephalitis treatment depends on the underlying cause and symptoms, and may include: Antiviral medications to fight viral infections affecting the brain.
Antibiotics to address underlying bacterial infections causing encephalitis. However, this test is not always conclusive, in some cases, the results may come back normal even though the patient has encephalitis.
A CT scan may be useful in detecting changes in brain structure. It can also rule out other causes, such as stroke , an aneurysm , or a tumor. However, an MRI is the best imaging option for encephalitis; it can identify the classic brain changes that suggest encephalitis. An EEG electroencephalograph that monitors the electrical activity of the brain may show sharp waves in one or both of the temporal lobes in patients with encephalitis.
The doctor might order a blood test if a West Nile virus infection is thought to be the cause. The majority of patients who have encephalitis go on to have at least one complication , especially elderly patients, those who had symptoms of coma, and individuals who did not receive treatment at an early stage.
Keeping up-to-date with vaccines is the most effective way of reducing the risk of developing encephalitis. These include vaccines for measles, mumps, rubella, and if the virus exists in those areas, Japanese encephalitis and tick-borne encephalitis.
In areas known to have mosquitoes that carry encephalitis-causing viruses, individuals should take measures to reduce the risk of being bitten. This may include wearing appropriate clothing, avoiding mosquito-infested areas, avoiding going outside at specific times during the day when there are large numbers of mosquitoes about, keeping the home mosquito-free, using mosquito repellent, and making sure there is no stagnant water around the home.
Japanese encephalitis is a viral infection found mainly in Asia. It is a mosquito-borne virus and cannot be transferred from one person to another. Meningitis affects the membranes around the brain and spinal cord. It is the most dangerous type of meningitis and can be fatal. Swift treatment with…. Arboviruses are a group of viruses that are transmitted by insects to humans.
Examples include yellow fever, West Nile virus, and Japanese…. Cryptococcal meningitis is a fungal infection that usually affects people with a weakened immune system.
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