Most viral infections go away on their own with a complete recovery. They do not require any specific treatment. The only exception to this is the herpes viruses. Special antiviral drugs are used to treat brain infections caused by herpes.
The severity of viral encephalitis depends on the particular virus and how quickly treatment was given. Generally, the acute phase of the illness lasts around one or 2 weeks, and the symptoms either disappear quickly or subside slowly over a period of time. In many cases, the person makes a full recovery.
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.
Recovery. 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.
Bacteria and other infectious organisms can reach the brain and meninges in several ways: By being carried by the blood. By entering the brain directly from the outside (for example, through a skull fracture or during surgery on the brain) By spreading from nearby infected structures, such as the sinuses or middle ear.
Infections of the brain are rare because the body has evolved a number of defences to protect this vital organ. One of these is the blood-brain barrier, a thick membrane that filters out impurities from blood before allowing it into your brain.
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.
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.
Brain infections are relatively rare, but they are potentially serious and have a poor prognosis.
The brain and spinal cord are usually protected from infection, but when they become infected, the consequences are often very serious. Infections can cause inflammation of the brain (encephalitis. The spinal cord may also be involved... read more ). Viruses are the most common causes of encephalitis.
Meningitis is a bacterial infection that can knock down healthy people in their tracks. Many different kinds of infections cause meningitis — most are viral — but bacterial meningitis is particularly deadly.
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.
Viruses are the most common causes of infectious encephalitis, including some that can be passed by mosquitoes or ticks. Very rarely, encephalitis may be caused by bacteria, fungus or parasites.
Acute meningitis is an infection of the membranes (meninges) covering the brain and spinal cord. It is the most common infectious disease of the CNS. Either leptomeninges (pia and arachnoid matter) or pachymeninges (dura matter) can be affected.
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.
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.
Encephalitis is an inflammation of the brain, most commonly caused by a viral infection. The main causes of viral encephalitis are: Herpes viruses, particularly herpes simplex virus.
Infection is spread through the bloodstream from the lung or chest area, from the heart (endocarditis), or from the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to the brain (meningitis). Fungi or bacteria enter the brain through a wound in the head.
The most common symptoms are a headache and fever, and some people may also have nausea and/or vomiting. Because these can be symptoms of many illnesses, a brain abscess can be hard to detect at first. In two-thirds of cases, people have symptoms for as long as two weeks before they are diagnosed.
If you have a tooth abscess, you could develop meningitis. This life-threatening condition occurs when the membranes near the spinal cord and the brain become inflamed. This bacterial infection could spread to the bloodstream and surround your brain and spinal cord. Meningitis could require extensive hospitalization.
Conclusion. Stroke is an often-devastating and not uncommon complication of many CNS infections. Strokes are often related to inflammatory basilar meningitis, but in many cases, the exact mechanisms are poorly understood.