Encephalitis
EncephalitisEncephalitis is a disorder associated to any disease affecting the central
nervous system causing inflammation of the brain. Due to the fact that the
disorder is so common in many hundreds of diseases it is hard to narrow the
disorder down. Many diseases can cause this disorder such as: meningitis,
epilepsy and many parasitic infections, which attack the brain tissue and
meninges, causing them to swell and push against the skull. Minor and serious
symptoms can occur ranging from headache, fever to comas and eventual
death. The treatment of the disease varies from vaccinations to bed rest.
Encephalitis can be either serious or minor with not many options of
treatment.
The best treatment for the disease is prevention, which is mostly
limited to vaccinations. With vaccinations there are two types of
immunization, which are Active and Passive immunization. The difference
between the two is that Active immunization is used to control a disease on a
long term basis, where Passive immunization is used to treat a disease quickly
but only lasts a few weeks. Passive immunization works immediately but does
not last where Active immunization takes about two weeks to work and lasts
many years. There are many vaccines to prevent Encephalitis and some of the
most common diseases in this topic are Measles, Mumps and Rubella,
Meningitis, Japanese Encephalitis and Mosquito and Tic Bourne Encephalitis.
Measles, Mumps and Rebella viruses are all associated with Encephalitis and
all can be prevented with the same vaccine. Commonly known as the Measles
vaccine it is administered by injection under the skin in the thigh or shoulder.
Side effects from the measles vaccine may include a rash that rapidly fades and
a high fever that occurs five to 12 days after the immunization and lasts one or
two days. Meningitis, another common Encephalitis causing virus also can be
prevented through Active or Passive immunization. Meningitis Passive
immunization vaccine will be given to patients directly in contact with disease
and Active immunization is given to potential recipients of the disease. Drug
treatment for the swelling of Encephalitis caused by the meningitis is used.
"Intravenous antibiotics are used but depend on age of patient and type of
bacteria that is causing meningitis"1. Side effects for taking vaccines for
Meningitis include high fever, headache and flu. Another form of Encephalitis
that was common in Japan is Japanese Encephalitis. In treatment and
prevention the JE vaccine is used and causes mild systemic side effects (fever,
headache, muscle aches) but can also cause more serious reactions including
"generalized urticaria (hives), anaphylaxis, and respiratory distress have
occurred within minutes to as long as two weeks after immunization"2. These
reactions can be effectively treated with medications. The last major virus,
which induces Encephalitis, is known as Mosquito/Tic Bourne Encephalitis.
This virus is contracted through mosquitoes and small parasitic bacteria and
has very limited treatment. Regular tetanus and antiviral vaccines are used in
defense of new bacteria in the human body. Regular Encephalitis care, such as
bed rest...
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