Viral encephalitis is an inflammation of the brain caused by a virus. The most serious potential complication is permanent brain damage. Children aged under one year and adults aged over 55 years are at increased risk of life-threatening complications.
The most common causes of viral encephalitis are herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2, varicella zoster virus and enteroviruses, which cause gastrointestinal illness. Encephalitis can also result from certain viruses carried by mosquitoes, ticks and other insects or animals such as: West Nile virus.
Treatment Approach
Viral encephalitis is a serious medical condition. Although there are no specific medications to treat it, people with symptoms are often given the antiviral medication acyclovir (Zovirax). It works against herpes simplex and varicella-zoster viruses.
Some people eventually make a full recovery from encephalitis, although this can be a long and frustrating process. Many people never make a full recovery and are left with long-term problems caused by damage to their brain.
A cerebral abscess is an infection in your brain. It is a medical emergency that requires treatment right away. Symptoms can include headache, fever, changes in consciousness, confusion, neck stiffness, vomiting, seizures, weakness, trouble moving, and changes in vision.
The inflammation of the brain can last from a few days to two or three months. After this, most people find that they make their best recovery from their symptoms within two or three months.
Most people who have mild cases of encephalitis make a full recovery within 2 to 4 weeks, although many will continue to feel fatigued and "out of sorts" for many weeks thereafter.
The combination of infection and immune response creates the typical symptoms of viral encephalitis. The most serious potential complication from viral encephalitis is permanent brain damage. Children aged under one year and adults aged over 55 years are more vulnerable to life-threatening complications.
A brain abscess is regarded as a medical emergency. Swelling caused by the abscess can disrupt the blood and oxygen supply to the brain. There's also a risk of the abscess bursting (rupturing). If left untreated, a brain abscess can cause permanent brain damage and could be fatal.
Prognosis. The prognosis for a brain infection depends on the severity of your condition, what caused the infection, and how fast treatment was initiated. Most people who experience a brain infection make a full recovery.
Treat all brain abscesses with antibiotics (usually initially with ceftriaxone or cefotaxime plus metronidazole if clinicians suspect Bacteroides species or plus vancomycin if they suspect S. aureus), typically followed by CT-guided stereotactic aspiration or surgical drainage.
A CT of the brain may be performed to assess the brain for tumors and other lesions, injuries, intracranial bleeding, structural anomalies (e.g., hydrocephalus , infections, brain function or other conditions), particularly when another type of examination (e.g., X-rays or a physical exam) are inconclusive.
Infections and other disorders affecting the brain and spinal cord can activate the immune system, which leads to inflammation. This inflammation can produce a wide range of symptoms and, in extreme cases, cause brain damage, stroke, or even death.
Routine contrast-enhanced brain MRI is the most sensitive modality for the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis because it helps detect the presence and extent of inflammatory changes in the meninges, as well as complications.
Encephalitis (en-sef-uh-LIE-tis) is inflammation of the brain. There are several causes, including viral infection, autoimmune inflammation, bacterial infection, insect bites and others. When inflammation is caused by an infection in the brain, it's known as infectious encephalitis.
“Brain fever” came to mean an inflamed brain—one characterized by headache, flushed skin, delirium, and sensitivity to light and sound. “Many of the symptoms and the post-mortem evidence were consistent with some forms of meningitis or encephalitis,” writes Peterson.
This can lead to cognitive impairment, seizures, stroke, and permanent damage to the brain and other organs. Results from several studies show that, even in people who have had mild-to-moderate infection, the effects of COVID-19 can persist in the lungs for months.
A recovery time of about six to twelve weeks can help one to get back to their routine in a normal way. You must follow the medications given by the doctor post-surgery. In some cases, headaches, memory related problems, seizures may occur.
Brain infections are relatively rare, but they are potentially serious and have a poor prognosis. The cornerstone of the diagnosis is cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis.
A CSF analysis is used to measure different substances in your cerebrospinal fluid. It may include tests to diagnose: Infectious diseases of the brain and spinal cord, including meningitis and encephalitis. CSF tests for infections look at white blood cells, bacteria, and other substances in the cerebrospinal fluid.
Brain – CT is used when speed is important, as in trauma and stroke. MRI is best when the images need to be very detailed, looking for cancer, causes of dementia or neurological diseases, or looking at places where bone might interfere.
Treat all brain abscesses with antibiotics (usually initially with ceftriaxone or cefotaxime plus metronidazole if clinicians suspect Bacteroides species or plus vancomycin if they suspect S. aureus), typically followed by CT-guided stereotactic aspiration or surgical drainage.
The brain also is protected by a physical and biochemical wall called the blood-brain barrier that blocks toxins from reaching brain cells. These defenses, in particular the blood-brain barrier, also make it more difficult to treat disease of the brain, including cancer.