Mild cases of encephalitis are usually short and result in a full recovery. However, despite improvements in diagnosis and treatment, encephalitis still leads to death in about 10% of patients.
If untreated, a brain abscess is almost always deadly. With treatment, the death rate is about 10% to 30%. The earlier treatment is received, the better.
In many cases, the person makes a full recovery. In other cases, the person can be left with varying degrees of brain damage, which may require long-term supportive care and therapy.
A brain abscess is regarded as a medical emergency. Swelling caused by the abscess can disrupt the blood and oxygen supply to the brain. There's also a risk of the abscess bursting (rupturing). If left untreated, a brain abscess can cause permanent brain damage and could be fatal.
A cerebral abscess is an infection in your brain. It is a medical emergency that requires treatment right away. Symptoms can include headache, fever, changes in consciousness, confusion, neck stiffness, vomiting, seizures, weakness, trouble moving, and changes in vision.
Therapies used to treat a brain infection can include the following: Antibiotics are started right away if a bacterial infection is suspected. If you are being evaluated for meningitis, your medical team will most likely start IV antibiotics while waiting for test results.
Once your brain abscess has been treated, you'll probably stay in hospital for several weeks so your body can be supported while you recover. You'll also receive a number of CT scans, to make sure the brain abscess has been completely removed.
There are several causes, including viral infection, autoimmune inflammation, bacterial infection, insect bites and others.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Pathogenesis. Brain abscess development can be divided into four stages: 1) early cerebritis (1–4 days); 2) late cerebritis (4–10 days); 3) early capsule formation (11–14 days); and 4) late capsule formation (>14 days). Staging of brain abscess in humans has been based on findings obtained during CT or MRI scans.
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.
Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) is a type of bacteria, which causes pneumonia as well as ear and sinus infections. It is a common cause of bacterial meningitis in the elderly. Other strains of bacteria that can cause bacterial meningitis in the elderly are Neisseria meningitidis and Listeria monocytogenes.
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.
Some people recover from encephalitis with a few or no difficulties. Other people are left with significant after-effects.
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.
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.
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.
Encephalitis is a rare, serious brain infection with many possible causes. Its physical symptoms typically ease with hospital care and medications. But its effects on brain functioning can linger, affecting everyday life.