Encephalitis: Difference between revisions
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An infant may present with; | An infant may present with; <ref>Armangue T, Petit-Pedrol M, Dalmau J. Autoimmune Encephalitis in Children. Journal of child neurology. 2012; 27 (11): 1460–1469.</ref> | ||
* Irritability | * Irritability | ||
* Poor appetite | * Poor appetite | ||
Revision as of 12:37, 22 November 2020
- Original Editor - Kehinde Fatola
Top Contributors - MeningitisKehinde Fatola, Lucinda hampton, Kim Jackson and Nupur Smit Shah
Introduction[edit | edit source]
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 condition. [1]
Causes[edit | edit source]
Encephalitis is caused by any of the following factors; [2]
- 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[edit | edit source]
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; [3]
- Irritability
- Poor appetite
- Fever
Diagnostic Procedures[edit | edit source]
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[edit | edit source]
- Antiviral medications (for viral infection)
- Antibiotics (for bacterial infection)
- Steroids
- Sedatives
- Acetaminophen
Physiotherapy Management / Interventions[edit | edit source]
- Exercise therapy
- Gait rehabilitation
- Manual therapy
- Passive motion procedures
Differential Diagnosis[edit | edit source]
- Leptospirosis
- CNS vasculitis
- Meningoencephalitis
- Stroke
- Meningitis
- Subdural empyema
- Meningeal carcinomatosis
Resources[edit | edit source]
add appropriate resources here
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Kennedy PGE. Viral Encephalitis: Causes, Differential Diagnosis, and Management. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry. 2004;75 (suppl 1): i10–i15
- ↑ Larner AJ. Neuropsychological Neurology: The Neurocognitive Impairments of Neurological Disorders. 2013. Cambridge University Press.
- ↑ Armangue T, Petit-Pedrol M, Dalmau J. Autoimmune Encephalitis in Children. Journal of child neurology. 2012; 27 (11): 1460–1469.
