Viral Encephalitis

Question: viral encephalitis? I got viral encephalitis and had 7 gran mal seizures in the early part of september, docs have no idea what type, why, or where i got it. slight brain damage to the lower part of brain that controlls balance, everything seems ok now. But i'd like to know what are the chances of getting it again since i've had it once before? Could there be lasting side effects that they(docs)just don't see?

Answer: Getting it again is theoretically possible, but the chances are remote. Complications include epilepsy, impairment of cognition and learning ability, weakness of limbs, paralysis of cranial nerves. Hydrocephalus or water on the brain can also occur.

Question: what type of organism is viral encephalitis? we have to do a science project concerning this disease and our teacher wants us to find out what kind of organism it is. if anybody knows that would be a great help, or just explaining what that means also would be greatly apprecaited

Answer: Viral encephalitis is a disease that mainly affects the brain, causing acute inflammation. As the name implies, it's caused by a virus, such as Herpes Simplex virus (HSV). Viral encephalitis can be due either to the direct effects of an acute infection, or as one of the sequelae of a latent infection. U can read more about it here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encephaliti…

Question: Gah! Can cold sores cause viral encephalitis? I was browsing through answers through cold sore related questions when one guy said that it could cause viral encephalitis which is inflammation of the brain cause by a viral infection. Is this true? The guy also said it was rare, but how rare? Jeez look up viral encephalitis first person who posted, it isn't always contracted from a mosquito it could be syphilis or a bunch of other VIRAL INFECTIONS too.

Answer: yes herpes (which is what a cold sore is) can go to the brain. i am not sure if it is the viral encephalitis you speak of but herpes can go to the brain. It can cause death. It is very rare. your main concern should be your eyes. touching the sore and then your eye. the eye is the most absorbant part of your body and as such is the most positive entry point for picking up infection. also watch the privates of your partner. ADDITIONAL: while i was trying to find a link to put on here i was reading something that struck me as funny. one article said it was a myth that you could get herpes off a toilet seat, but a bit farther in the article it said not to use a towel after someone who was having a breakout as it could be spread that way?!!! if you can get it off a towel why not a toilet seat?

Question: Info on Viral encephalitis? My sons father in law , age 47 and usually very healthy has come down with viral encephalitis. It looks really bad, unresponsive for 4 days now running a very high fever (pnumonia too). Just would like to know if anyone can give us some info on this desease and its outcome. Also any prayers for Gary would be appreciated.

Answer: Encephalitis is a rare but potentially life-threatening inflammation of the brain that can occur in people of all ages. The most common cause of encephalitis is infection by a virus. ETIOLOGICAL AGENTS: Mumpsvirus Human Herpesvirus 1 (Herpes Simplex 1 Virus) Any of 350 different arboviruses Poxvirus Enteroviruses (polio, Coxsackie, ECHO) Adenovirus Human Immunodeficiency Virus Most people exposed to encephalitis-causing viruses have no symptoms. Others may experience a mild flu-like illness, but do not develop full-blown encephalitis. In severe cases, the infection can have devastating effects, including: Swelling of the brain ( cerebral edema ) Bleeding within the brain ( intercerebral hemorrhage) Nerve damage The damage may cause long-term cognitive or physical problems, depending on the specific areas of the brain affected. There is no specific treatment. Accordingly, supportive care is of paramount importance, requiring devoted attention to the airway, bladder function, fluid and electrolyte balance, nutrition, prevention of bed sores, secondary pulmonary infection, and hyperpyrexia. Prognosis : not so good. Sorry. I'll pray for him. God bless.

Question: The viral disease called Encephalitis affects which part of the body?

Answer: Brain - inflammation. very nasty

Question: Anyone have viral encephalitis and get epilepsy, then get better?? My mom was FINALLY diagnosed with epilepsy due to viral encephalitis after months of wondering what was wrong with her. We all thought she had dementia. Well, they said that she had encephalitis, but it went away on it's own before anyone even knew. They said she has some lesions on her brain from the encephalitis which is causing the epilepsy. They have started treating her epilepsy, but I am wondering if most of the dementia symptoms will go away once the medicine kicks in or are they more likely caused by the lesions themselves? I just want to know if my mom will ever be like herself again. And she is so depressed because she feels helpless. This is just so terrible.

Answer: Contact your local epilepsy foundation, I am speaking to you as both an employee and a client of the foundation. They have access to learned professionals that can give you the best information available. They will also be able to provide her with psychological support and teach her about how to best deal with the condition. Please find out if the lesions are operable or not and post a followup question. That would be a really big deal. Good luck.

Question: Can you get viral encephalitis from a dog bite or from the antibiotic Augmentin prescribed for the bite? My son was bitten by a border collie dog in August 2008. He was prescribed the antibiotic Augmentin to fight any infection if any for a week. Two weeks later my son was diagnosed with viral encephalitis. He's still showing the symptoms now of the crawling skin, lethargy, slurred speech in April 2009. These are the same symptoms he had in August except for the hallucinations. Is there any correlation between a dog bite and encephalitis? Please direct me to someone who can give me the answers. Thank you.

Answer: This sounds like rabies to me, and he has been lucky to survive. It has nothing to do with the Augmentin, which is an appropriate antibiotic against the likely bacterial infections from a dog bite, but does nothing against rabies. What has happened to the dog? I include below references to the general management of a dog bite and to the nature of rabies.

Question: Fungal Encephalitis, what is it and how does it differ from viral and bacterial? I only want info on fungal.? I had fungal encephalitis about ten years ago and am wondering about the effects of it, not what caused it. I already know that it was Naegleria Fowleri or some other fungai. I've looked around and found only very small references to it including that only 6 recorded cases survived and that it is usually found in autopsy. Why is it deadlier than viral? The exact type of encephalitis was microencephalitis. NOT meningo, micro. Why have so few survived? Please, help answer my questions. Part of what I want to know is if I could help researchers looking into the effects of microencephalitis. I wish I knew more from the time it happened. But the year afterwards is a blank...

Answer: Naegleria fowleri is a free living amoeba typically found in warm fresh water, from 25-35 degrees Celsius in an amoeboid or temporary flagellate stage. It belongs among a group called the Percolozoa or Heterolobosea. In humans, N. fowleri can become pathogenic, causing primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM or PAME), a syndrome affecting the central nervous system, characterized by changes in olfactory perception (taste and smell), followed by vomiting, nausea, fever, headache, and the rapid onset of coma and death. PAM usually occurs in healthy children or young adults with no prior history of immunocompromisation who have recently been exposed to bodies of fresh water. N. fowleri invades the central nervous system via penetration of the olfactory mucosa and nasal tissues, resulting in significant necrosis of and hemorrhaging in the olfactory bulbs. From there, amoebae climb along nerve fibers through the floor of the cranium and into the brain. Amphotericin B is currently the most effective known pharmacologic treatment for N. fowleri, but the prognosis remains bleak for those that contract PAM, as only eight patients have survived in a clinical setting. Amphotericin B devastates N. fowleri organisms in laboratory settings, and is the preferred choice in N. fowleri treatment, in addition to systemic rifampicin. A more aggressive antibody serum-based treatment is being pursued, and may eventually prove more effective than modern broad-spectrum antibiotic targeting. At this time, though, timely diagnosis remains a very significant impediment to the successful treatment of infection, as most cases have only been appreciated post-mortem. N. fowleri can be grown in several kinds of liquid axenic media or on non-nutrient agar plates coated with bacteria. Detection in water is performed by centrifuging a water sample with Escherichia coli added, and then applying the pellet to a non-nutrient agar plate. After several days the plate is microscopically inspected and Naegleria cysts are identified by their morphology. Final confirmation of the species' identity can be performed by various molecular or biochemical methods.

Question: does anyone have viral encephalitis in INDIA?

Answer: To understand viral encephalitis, you should go thoroughly towards the epidemiology of viral encephalitis. it is due to RNA virus its reserviors are pigs, ergets, ducks, and many other wild animals nad birds. Transmission is not like that of malaria. First mosquito becomes infected by biting infected animal or bird hosts (also called amplyfying hosts, e.g. pigs, ducks, snakes etc). Whenever the infected mosquito bites the healty virgin human being, infection with this virus occurs. Many of them are asymptomatic, only few cases develops fatal diseases. From Japna, though korea, Malaya Penninsuala, it has immigrated to India. Since 50 years before it is causing epidemic in India. Now it is more concentrated in Uttar Pradesh state. REsiding in village in periphery, houses near to paddy fields, keeping animals and birds near to house or even inside house, sleeping in cowsheds, going fishing in paddy lands, wearing half sleev t-shirt and half pant are some of the important high risk factors for getting infection from viral encephalitis.

Question: 34 year old woman in coma for 3 months caused by viral encephalits, drugs to bring out of coma?? My fiance has been in a coma for over 3 months now, caused by a viral encephalitis. Every test they ran came back negative. The doctors have little hope and she is now on a ventalator in a nursing home. The family and I have heard that there is medications that can possibly bring her out of the coma. Does anyone have experience in this?? Has anyone been brought out of a coma and went on to have a normal life. She is 34 years old.

Answer: I'm sorry to hear about this. It is documented that people have awakened from their comatose state after an extended period of time, then go on to live a normal life. Of course many of them had to go through many types of therapys again...as in physical therapy, speech therapy, ect. I'm also sorry to tell you that I've never heard of a drug that will bring someone out of a coma. Hopefully I'm wrong. My hope and prayer is that she awakens out of her coma very soon (a good Christmas present for you) and that there are no other problems. Best of luck to you, and her.