The disease I have chosen to explore is viral encephalitis. Encephalitis refers to brain inflammation (PDR, 2014, Diagnosis), which is rare but can be extremely dangerous (Mayo, 2014, Basics; University of Maryland, 2013, Introduction). Severe cases of encephalitis can lead to permanent damage and death (Mayo, 2014, Complications). Encephalitis can also be caused by bacteria and fungi, or develop as a result of a non-infectious cause, but encephalitis is usually caused by a virus (Mayo, 2014, Causes; PDR, 2014, Basics). Symptoms of encephalitis usually begin between 2 and 14 days from the time of infection (University of Maryland, 2013, Symptoms), though it can be months before symptoms begin, such as is sometimes the case with the …show more content…
Encephalitis infections typically last between 1 and 3 weeks (PDR, Treatment). However, depending on severity of the infection and the virus that caused it, recovery can last months and some level of impairment may be permanent, such as paralysis or exhaustion (Mayo, 2014, Complications; PDR, 2014, Treatment). It is also possible for those who have had viral encephalitis to experience seizures later in life, particularly those who had seizures during the initial infection (Gondim, 2013, Prognosis). Certain types of viral encephalitis will cause death up to 70 percent of the time, if not treated early (Gondim, 2013, Prognosis; PDR, 2014, Treatment). Viral encephalitis can either be a primary infection, with the virus directly affecting the brain (Mayo, 2014, Causes; PDR, 2014, Diagnosis), or a secondary infection, caused by the immune system attacking the brain as well as the originally affected tissues (Mayo, 2014, Causes). Secondary viral encephalitis usually takes place a couple of weeks after the original infection (Mayo, 2014, Causes). The viruses that cause encephalitis can be spread in a number of ways, depending on the particular virus. The most common ways are insect bites and person-to-person contact (University of Maryland, 2013, Causes). In the case of insect bites, the insect originally got the virus as a result of biting an infected animal, which then multiplied in the insect
While many forms of encephalitis exist, West Nile Virus was first isolated and identified in the West Nile District of Uganda in 1937. The virus, which was seemingly isolated to North Eastern Africa, became recognized as a cause of severe human meningoencephalitis (inflammation of the spinal cord and brain) in elderly patients during an outbreak in Israel in 1957. In addition to the human victims of this disease, the virus was found Egypt and
West Nile Virus (WNV) was originally detected from a woman in Uganda in 1937. WNV first appeared in the United States in 1999 in New York which was the first incident in the Western Hemisphere. WNV is a mosquito-borne virus (arbovirus). It is in the flavivirus family. WNV is a neurotropic virus. WNV is a member of the Japanese encephalitis virus. Severe encephalitis outbreaks in humans have been escalating. The means by which the virus gains access to the brain (also known as neuroinvasion) seems inadequately understood. Suggestions of the hypothesis of WNV leans towards the concept of blood-brain barrier disruption and retrograde axonal transport (Suen et al., 2014)
Encephalitis is a neurological disorder that results in the inflammation of the brain and sometimes the meninges. It is usually due to a viral infection. Most often arboviruses cause encephalitis, by transference via mosquitos to humans and animals. When bitten by an infected mosquito the virus moves from the mosquito into the person’s blood, it then reaches the brain and spinal cord, it multiplies within the central nervous system thus inflaming and damaging nerve cells, this interferes with signals from the brain to the rest of the body. The herpes simplex virus type one can commonly cause encephalitis. HIV has also been noted as an increasing cause of encephalitis. Viral infections like: mumps, chicken pox and measles can also cause encephalitis, but rarely.
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that develops in people that suffer from multiple traumatic brain injuries, multiple concussions, or multiple sub-concussive injuries. It can take several years or decades to before any symptoms may arise. Chronic Traumatic encephalopathy was introduced by Martland in 1928. During that time Chronic traumatic encephalopathy was termed “punch drunk” which was mostly sustained by professional boxers.
Case Description- A 3 month-old Boer cross buck kid was confirmed to have died from an infection of Eastern Equine Encephalitis in a rural county of North Florida. Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis and Rabies were included in the list of deferential diagnoses as possible causes of neurologic symptoms that could occur in adolescent caprine.1,5 PCR analysis of fresh brain tissue preformed at Department of Health in Tampa, Florida (via the Bronson Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in Kissimmee, Florida) showed positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis, then positive by virus isolation. The sample was negative for West Nile Virus, and the fluorescent antibody test for Rabies was negative.
Mosquitos tend to be the main culprits; specifically female mosquitos, who carry the disease in their saliva and inject it into our bodies as they bite us in order to prevent the blood from coagulating. If you do not live in an area that is highly populated with mosquitos, and you are under 60 years old, you are of a much lower risk factor, but for those who live near many mosquitos or are 60 or older, the risk of getting West Nile Virus and suffering from its complications is much higher (mayoclinic).
West Nile Virus is a disease most people have probably heard about. It is a reasonably common disease. The statistics for 2015 prove this; "Overall, 2,060 cases of West Nile virus disease in people have been reported to CDC. Of these, 1,360 (66%) were classified as neuroinvasive disease (such as meningitis or encephalitis) and 700 (34%) were classified as non-neuroinvasive disease". ("Statistics & Maps." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 09 June 2015. Web. 06 Mar. 2016.) West Nile Virus, or WNV, was first identified in 1937, when a Uganda woman had it. It came to the United States in 1999 in the New York City area.
disease and Alzheimer’s. Severe infection that has spread to the brain, epilepsy, stroke, and the late
This virus brings about a lost lasting infection that affects the general nervous system of various individuals after they have acquired the infection for the first time. It is normally latent in nature, but various nonspecific or unexpected inflammations cause some reactivation for example herpes labialis (Mawanda & Wallace, 2013 pp.161). Some scientific studies have shown that HSV-1 can easily enter or penetrate human body by the help of various routes and can consequently repeatedly occur in absence of neurological signs. Studies have also indicated that HSV-1 greatly and latently infects the nervous system of humans. This virus group of HSV-1 was greatly associated with the different risk factors for the occurrence of dementia and consequently most researchers have found out that there is a great positive significant relationship between HSV-1 and Alzheimer’s disease.
Weight loss happens as the illness progresses. Continuous confusion, behavior changes, daytime sleepiness with nighttime sleep troubles, and other neurologic difficulties happen after the infection has infected the central nervous system. These signs come to be worse as the disease progresses. If left untreated, death will ultimately happen after some years of infection.
Meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges, membranes that surround the brain. This can extend as far as infecting the cerebral spinal fluid on top of causing the tissue to swell. Meningitis comes in two major forms; bacterially and virally. However, having bacterial meningitis is much more severe than viral meningitis. There is a lot more danger in having a bacterial infection within the brain than a viral infection within the brain. What makes bacterial meningitis so lethal is that “even when the disease is diagnosed early and adequate treatment is started, 5% to 10% of patients die, typically within 24 to 48 hours after the onset of symptoms. Left untreated, up to 50% of cases may die, (6) or there
Most, however, survive but complain that it takes awhile to recover completely, about 30 days. Those whose infection spreads to the brain can suffer severe symptoms, like tremors, personality change, and paralysis up to 60 days after the infection is gone from their brain. Why, just today I heard that there had been almost 2500 cases of West Nile fever in Colorado, and that at least 50 of them had ended in death.[1] That might not seem like a lot, but then they listed another statistic that out of all the people infected, only 20% show symptoms. So the infection is more widespread than we know. Luckily, out of that 20%, only 1% will develop acute fever, with the possibility of death.[2] And they say that it only has the possibility to be dangerous to people over the age of fifty,[3] which really gets Mrs. Haskins worried.
Mosquitoes are the primary cause of infecting humans with the West Nile virus which could lead to West Nile encephalitis (Cunha). West Nile encephalitis (WNE) is an inflammation of the brain caused by West Nile virus that was originally diagnosed in the West Nile region of Uganda in 1937. WNE is an emerging infectious disease (EID), a disease that is new or changing and is increasing or have the potential
For confirmed immune-mediated encephalitis felt to be caused by nivolumab, administer corticosteroids (prednisone 1 to 2 mg/kg/day or equivalent), followed by a corticosteroid taper
Encephalitis is a condition caused by viruses which cause the brain to become inflamed. There are two types of encephalitis one is called primary because the viruses affect the brain itself. Secondary is the viruses travel from some other part of the body that has been affect to the brain. When the virus reaches the brain it begins to multiply causing inflammation. The brain’s white matter can be destroyed. This destruction causes cell death, hemorrhage and edema. The edema begins to compress the blood vessels this causes intracranial pressure (Mayo Clinic, 2011).