Encephalitis: causes, symptoms, treatment and prognosis.

A disease of the nervous system that can have serious effects and sequelae.

When we want to refer to inflammation of the brain tissue we speak of encephalitis.. As with any other organ, this infection can have multiple origins. However, it is the most lethal of infections.

What is encephalitis?

Suffering an inflammation of the central nervous system can have serious consequences that leave permanent sequelae. For this reason it is important to be very clear about its symptoms and what to do when encephalitis is suspected.

Without going into too many details and medical technicalities, let us take a useful look at how encephalitis manifests itself.What are the most probable origins, and what treatment and prognosis can be expected for the patient suffering from encephalitis.

Symptoms

It is important to differentiate encephalitis from meningitis.. The first consists of inflammation of the tissue of the brain or spinal cord. The second refers to inflammation of the meninges, the layers of tissue that separate the brain from the skull.

Encephalitis produces a clinical picture with symptoms that span a wide range of severity. The most common mild symptoms include those explained below.

Fever

As with any infection, the body defends itself against viral agents through fever. The rise in temperature helps to kill the bacteria or virus that is causing the infection.

2. Headache

When we suffer an infection, it is usual that the vessels dilate so that more blood reaches the infected area and can better fight the external agents. What happens with this is that the area swells and compresses the tissue against the walls. This is why in encephalitis patients suffer headaches.

3. Stiff neck

Muscular pains are very frequent in all types of infectious processes, and encephalitis is no exception. In addition to pain, it is common to find that patients have very stiff neck and upper back muscles.

4. Fatigue

Due to the infection, it is common for the patient to feel exhausted. After all, the body needs all the energy it can get to fight the infection and rest is beneficial for recovery.

Because these symptoms are very general and common in infections, it is not until the development of more severe and specific symptoms that encephalitis will be suspected. As a principle, the more neurological symptoms reflect a greater severity of the infection and a greater urgency in its treatment. Neurological symptoms include:

• High fever
• Confusion
• Dizziness
• Hallucinations
• Motor slowness
• Irritability
• Seizures
• Coma

Naturally, in the presence of any of these manifestations, the guideline is to go to the emergency room. The neurological symptoms indicate a severe involvement of the nervous system and can be potentially disabling, if not lethal.

The diagnosis will be made through lumbar puncture, which will allow to analyze the contents of the fluid of the lumbar puncture.The diagnosis will be made through lumbar puncture, which will allow analysis of the cerebrospinal fluid contents to confirm the presence of signs of infection, through neuroimaging such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed axial tomography (CT). Other methods include electroencephalograms, blood tests, or even a brain biopsy, where a tiny sample of brain tissue is removed to examine its contents.

Common causes

Our bodies are built in a surprisingly intelligent way. Especially when it comes to the nervous system, there are more obstacles and safeguards than one might suspect. There is a reason why most infectious processes do not spread to the brain. In order that toxic substances in the blood do not come into contact with the cerebrospinal fluid in the brain and spinal cord, the body builds a barrier between the two.

However, when some harmful agents carried in the blood manage to penetrate the barrier, however, a problem occursA problem occurs: the body's natural defenses cannot pass through it either, and the infection becomes difficult to treat. This is why many treatments are administered directly into the cerebrospinal fluid since the body's own defenses cannot get through.

Common viral infections

Although encephalitis can be caused by both viruses and bacteria, most often a viral infection is found.. The virus most frequently associated with encephalitis in developed countries is the herpes virus. Although this virus normally only travels from the nerve to the skin, it sometimes reaches the brain, dangerously affecting the nervous system. Other common viruses include cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

There is a percentage of children who, because they are not vaccinated when they should be, suffer encephalitis due to infection with viruses against which they should be protected. These viruses include chickenpox and rubella. For this reason, among other things, it is essential to comply with the vaccine portfolio and protect children from these types of infections.

Arbovirus

In addition to common viruses, those transmitted through insect bites are another common cause of encephalitis. Mosquito bites and ticks are the most frequent transmitters of these viruses.In the urban world and especially when traveling to tropical areas where insects proliferate. Therefore, as a preventive measure, vaccination against these viruses is necessary.

Treatment and prognosis

Viruses causing encephalitis are treated with antiviral drugs.The treatment is usually started as soon as the patient enters the emergency room so as not to waste time. Once the diagnosis is confirmed, treatment will be continued, unless bacterial infection is found, in which case Antibiotics will be switched to. In addition to this, intravenous fluids, anticonvulsants, antipyretics and oxygen will be administered through a mask.

The prognosis depends on the extent of brain damage. The longer the infection has lasted and the more severe it is, the greater the damage and the less functions will recover over time. If the patient has not been severely affected, there may be problems with memory, executive functions, swallowing, mood disorders, concentration difficulties and all kinds of neurological symptoms produced by the destruction of neurons that remain until after the infection. Similar to patients with dementia, it is possible to recover part of the functions through cognitive rehabilitation and training.