Encephalitis

• Original Editor - Kehinde Fatola
  Top Contributors - Kehinde Fatola, Lucinda hampton, Kim Jackson and Nupur Smit Shah

Introduction

Encephalitis is a very severe infection caused by the inflammation of the brain tissues. When encephalitis occur with meningitis, it is called meningoencephalitis. It is caused either as a direct infection or a sequela of a pre-existing conditio

Causes

Encephalitis is caused by any of the following factors;

• Viral infection, e.g rabies virus, HSV, poliovirus, mealses virus, bunyavirus, reovirus, etc
• Bacterial infection, e.g mycoplasma, Lyme disease, Bartonella henselae, malaria, etc can result in encephalitis especially in immuno-compromised individuals.
• Autoimmune disorders
• Some types are of unknown aetiology

Clinical Presentation

An adult infected with the disease typically present with;

• Headache
• Confusion
• Fever
• Drowsiness
• Fatigue
• Seizures or convulsions
• Tremors
• Stroke
• Hallucinations
• Memory problems

An infant may present with;

• Irritability
• Poor appetite
• Fever

Diagnostic Procedures

Encephalitis can be diagnosed using any of the following procedures;

• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to detect the inflammation
• Electroencephalography (EEG) to monitor the electrical activity of the brain
• Lumbar puncture (spinal tap)
• Urine analysis
• Blood test

Medical Management

1. Antiviral medications (for viral infection)
2. Antibiotics (for bacterial infection)
3. Steroids
4. Sedatives
5. Acetaminophen

Physiotherapy Management / Interventions

1. Exercise therapy
2. Gait rehabilitation
3. Manual therapy
4. Passive motion procedures
   

Differential Diagnosis

1. Leptospirosis
2. CNS vasculitis
3. Meningoencephalitis
4. Stroke
5. Meningitis
6. Subdural empyema
7. Meningeal carcinomatosis
   

Resources

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