MENINGITIS VS ENCEPHALITISMeningitis and encephalitis are both serious conditions involving inflammation in the brain.

You are currently viewing MENINGITIS VS ENCEPHALITISMeningitis and encephalitis are both serious conditions involving inflammation in the brain.

1.Meningitis – Inflammation of the meninges (the Ir protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord)

CAUSES OF MENINGITIS
causes of meningitis depends on the types

(a).Bacterial meningitis
Germs that enter the bloodstream and travel to the brain and spinal cord cause bacterial meningitis

Streptococcus pneumoniae
Neisseria meningitidis
Haemophilus influenzae
Listeria monocytogenes

(b).Viral meningitis
Viral meningitis is most often mild and clears on its own.

herpes simplex virus,
HIV
mumps virus
West Nile virus

(c).Chronic meningitis
Chronic meningitis is meningitis whose symptoms last at least four weeks without letup
(d).Fungal meningitis
Fungal meningitis doesn’t spread from person to person.

Cryptococcal meningitis is a common fungal form of the disease

(e).Tuberculous meningitis
This type of meningitis is a rare complication of tuberculosis, also called TB.
(g).Parasitic meningitis
Parasites can cause a rare type of meningitis called eosinophilic meningitis

SIGN & SYMPTOMS:

Classic triad – severe headache, stiff neck,
fever
Nausea / vomiting –
Photophobia
Altered mental state
Positive brudzinski / kernig sign

COMPLICATIONS

Hearing loss
Seizures
Cognitive impairment
Septic shock

2.Encephalitis =Iinflammation of the brain itself, usually due to an infection or an autoimmune response

CAUSES

In about half of patients, the exact cause of encephalitis is not known.

TYPES
(i) .Infectious encephalitis.

This condition usually occurs when a virus infects the brain.Viruses are the most common causes of infectious encephalitis, including some that can be passed by mosquitoes or ticks.
(ii) .Autoimmune encephalitis.
This condition occurs when your own immune cells mistakenly attack the brain or make antibodies targeting proteins and receptors in the brain

SIGN & SYMPTOMS

Fever
Altered mental state – confusion, agitation, personality changes
->Seizures
Weakness / paralysis
Hallucinations / psychosis (in autoimmune causes)

COMPLICATIONS

Brain swelling
Long-term neurological deficits
Memory impairment
Death (in severe cases)

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