NEURO Infectious Flashcards
Arbovirus
A general term used to describe infections caused by a group of viruses spread to people by the bite of infected arthropods (insects) such as mosquitoes and ticks. These infections usually occur during warm weather months, when mosquitoes and ticks are active.
Botulism
A rare but serious illness caused by a toxin that attacks the body’s nerves and causes difficulty breathing, muscle paralysis, and even death. This toxin is made by Clostridium botulinum and sometimes Clostridium butyricum and Clostridium baratii bacteria.
Brain Abscess
A pus-filled pocket of infected material in the brain. An abscess can cause the brain to swell, putting harmful pressure on brain tissue. An abscess can also keep blood from flowing to parts of the brain.
SYMPTOMS:
headache – which is often severe, located in a single section of the head and cannot be relieved with painkillers. changes in mental state – such as confusion or irritability. problems with nerve function – such as muscle weakness, slurred speech or paralysis on one side of the body.
CAUSES:
Usually occurs when bacteria or fungi make their way into the brain, either through the bloodstream or from an infected area in the head, such as the ears or sinuses. An injury to the head or head surgery can also let in germs that can cause an abscess.
Encephalitis
Inflammation of the active tissues of the brain caused by an infection or an autoimmune response. The inflammation causes the brain to swell, which can lead to headache, stiff neck, sensitivity to light, mental confusion and seizures.
SYMPTOMS:
confusion or disorientation.
seizures or fits.
changes in personality and behaviour.
difficulty speaking.
weakness or loss of movement in some parts of the body.
loss of consciousness.
CAUSES:
Autoimmune inflammation, viral and bacterial infections, and noninfectious inflammatory conditions all can cause encephalitis.
The viruses that can cause encephalitis include:
Herpes simplex virus (HSV). …
Other herpes viruses. …
Enteroviruses. …
Mosquito-borne viruses. …
Tick-borne viruses. …
Rabies virus. …
Childhood infections.
Leprosy
A chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, an acid-fast, rod-shaped bacillus. The disease mainly affects the skin, the peripheral nerves, mucosa of the upper respiratory tract, and the eyes. Leprosy is curable and treatment in the early stages can prevent disability.
Meningitis
- viral, bacterial
Inflammation (swelling) of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. A bacterial or viral infection of the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord usually causes the swelling. However, injuries, cancer, certain drugs, and other types of infections also can cause meningitis. Meningitis caused by bacteria can be deadly and requires immediate medical attention. Vaccines are available to help protect against some kinds of bacterial meningitis. Meningitis caused by viruses is serious but often is less severe than bacterial meningitis.
SYMPTOMS:
a high temperature
cold hands and feet
vomiting
confusion
breathing quickly
muscle and joint pain
pale, mottled or blotchy skin (this may be harder to see on brown or black skin)
spots or a rash (this may be harder to see on brown or black skin)
headache
a stiff neck
a dislike of bright lights
being very sleepy or difficult to wake
fits (seizures)
Babies may also:
refuse feeds
be irritable
have a high-pitched cry
have a stiff body or be floppy or unresponsive
have a bulging soft spot on the top of their head
CAUSES:
Usually caused by a viral or bacterial infection.
Viral meningitis is the most common and least serious type. Bacterial meningitis is rare, but can be very serious if not treated.
Several different viruses and bacteria can cause meningitis, including:
Meningococcal bacteria – there are several different types, called A, B, C, W, X, Y and Z
pneumococcal bacteria
Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) bacteria
enteroviruses – viruses that usually only cause a mild stomach infection
the mumps virus
the herpes simplex virus – a virus that usually causes cold sores or genital herpes
Neuritis
A broad term used to describe inflamed peripheral nerves. These are the nerves found outside the brain and spinal cord. They carry signals from different parts of the body to the brain. When they are inflamed, they begin to malfunction. The condition can affect a single nerve.
SYMPTOMS
Pain. Most people who develop optic neuritis have eye pain that’s worsened by eye movement. …
Vision loss in one eye. Most people have at least some temporary reduction in vision, but the extent of loss varies. …
Visual field loss. …
Loss of color vision. …
Flashing lights.
CAUSES
Bacterial infections, including Lyme disease, cat-scratch fever and syphilis, or viruses, such as measles, mumps and herpes, can cause optic neuritis. Other diseases. Diseases such as sarcoidosis, Behcet’s disease and lupus can cause recurrent optic neuritis. Drugs and toxins
Neurosyphilis
A bacterial infection of the brain or spinal cord. It usually occurs in people who have had untreated syphilis for many years. Neurosyphilis is a life-threatening complication of syphilis. How well you do depends on how severe the neurosyphilis is before treatment. The goal of treatment is to prevent further deterioration. Many of these changes are not reversible.
There are four different forms of neurosyphilis:
Asymptomatic (most common form)
General paresis: dementia
Meningovascular: due to inflammation of the vasculature supplying the central nervous system, that results in ischemia
Tabes dorsalis: slow degeneration (specifically, demyelination) of the neural tracts primarily in the dorsal root ganglia of the spinal cord (nerve root). These patients have lancinating nerve root pain which is aggravated by coughing, and features of sensory ataxia with ocular involvement.
CAUSES:
Treponema pallidum
SYMPTOMS:
Abnormal walk (gait), or unable to walk
Numbness in the toes, feet, or legs
Problems with thinking, such as confusion or poor concentration
Mental problems, such as depression or irritability
Headache, seizures, or stiff neck
Loss of bladder control (incontinence)
Tremors, or weakness
Visual problems, even blindness
Poliomyelitis
a disabling and life-threatening disease caused by the poliovirus. The virus spreads from person to person and can infect a person’s spinal cord, causing paralysis (can’t move parts of the body. t causes mild or no symptoms in most people, but in some people it can cause paralysis or death.
“polio” meaning “grey” and “myelon” meaning “marrow.”
SYMPTOMS
Fever
Sore throat
Headache
Vomiting
Fatigue
Back pain or stiffness
Neck pain or stiffness
Pain or stiffness in the arms or legs
Muscle weakness or tendernessProgressive muscle or joint weakness and pain.
Fatigue.
Muscle wasting (atrophy)
Breathing or swallowing problems.
Sleep-related breathing disorders, such as sleep apnea.
Decreased tolerance of cold temperatures.
Paralytic syndrome: this most serious form of the disease is rare. Initial signs and symptoms of paralytic polio, such as fever and headache, often mimic those of nonparalytic polio. Within a week, however, other signs and symptoms appear, including:
Loss of reflexes
Severe muscle aches or weakness
Loose and floppy limbs (flaccid paralysis)
CAUSES:
Poliovirus
Prion Disease
aka transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) are a family of rare progressive neurodegenerative disorders that affect both humans and animals. They are rare, fatal, degenerative brain disorders. Prion diseases are usually rapidly progressive and always fatal.
SYMPTOMS:
Rapidly developing dementia.
Difficulty walking and changes in gait.
Hallucinations.
Muscle stiffness.
Confusion.
Fatigue.
Difficulty speaking.
CAUSES:
Prions, which are misfolded proteins that have the ability to transmit their misfolded shape onto normal variants of the same protein
Examples in Humans: Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD)
Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD)
Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker Syndrome
Fatal Familial Insomnia
Kuru
Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PML)
A disease of the white matter of the brain, caused by a virus infection that targets cells that make myelin–the material that insulates nerve cells (neurons). It is caused by the JC (John Cunningham) virus aka human polyomavirus 2. People with a weakened immune system are most likely to get the disorder. By age 10, most people have been infected with JCV, but it rarely causes symptoms. The virus remains in the body, but normally is inactive and causes no problems. But people with a weakened immune system are at risk of developing PML. Causes of a weakened immune system include:
HIV/AIDS (less common now because of better management of HIV/AIDS).
Medicines that suppress the immune system called monoclonal antibodies. These medicines are used to prevent organ transplant rejection or to treat multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune disorders, and related conditions.
Cancers, such as leukemia and Hodgkin lymphoma.
Symptoms:
Loss of coordination, clumsiness
Loss of language ability (aphasia)
Memory loss
Vision problems
Weakness of the legs and arms that gets worse
Personality changes
Rabies
Rabies is a fatal but preventable viral disease. It can spread to people and pets if they are bitten or scratched by a rabid animal. The rabies virus infects the central nervous system of mammals, ultimately causing disease in the brain and death. In the United States, rabies is mostly found in wild animals like bats, raccoons, skunks, and foxes.
Symptoms:
The first symptoms of rabies may be similar to the flu, including weakness or discomfort, fever, or headache. There also may be discomfort, prickling, or an itching sensation at the site of the bite. These symptoms may last for days. Symptoms then progress to cerebral dysfunction, anxiety, confusion, agitation, and eventually death.
Cause:
Rhabdovirus
Shingles
- postherpetic neuralgia
Shingles is a viral infection that causes a painful rash. Shingles can occur anywhere on your body. It typically looks like a single stripe of blisters that wraps around the left side or the right side of your torso.
Caused by the varicella-zoster virus — the same virus that causes chickenpox. After you’ve had chickenpox, the virus stays in your body for the rest of your life. Years later, the virus may reactivate as shingles.
Shingles isn’t life-threatening. But it can be very painful. Vaccines can help lower the risk of shingles. Early treatment may shorten a shingles infection and lessen the chance of complications. The most common complication is postherpetic neuralgia. This is a painful condition that causes shingles pain for a long time after your blisters have cleared.
Symptoms:
Shingles symptoms usually affect only a small section on one side of your body. These symptoms may include:
Pain, burning or tingling
Sensitivity to touch
A red rash that begins a few days after the pain
Fluid-filled blisters that break open and crust over
Itching
Some people also experience:
Fever
Headache
Sensitivity to light
Fatigue
Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis (SSPE)
A progressive neurological disorder of children and young adults that affects the central nervous system (CNS). It is a slow, but persistent, viral infection caused by defective measles virus.
SYMPTOMS:
Personality changes, outbursts of temper, sleeplessness, disorientation, stupor, spasticity, loss of previously acquired intellectual skills, poor memory and judgment (dementia), and general neurological deterioration.
Risk of developing SSPE is highest in people who contract measles at < 2 years of age. Onset is usually before age 20. SSPE is exceedingly rare in the US and Western Europe because of widespread measles vaccination
Tetanus
An infection caused by bacteria called Clostridium tetani. When these bacteria enter the body, they produce a toxin that causes painful muscle contractions. Another name for tetanus is “lockjaw”. It often causes a person’s neck and jaw muscles to lock, making it hard to open the mouth or swallow.
Symptoms:
Painful muscle spasms and stiff, immovable muscles (muscle rigidity) in your jaw.
Tension of muscles around your lips, sometimes producing a persistent grin.
Painful spasms and rigidity in your neck muscles.
Difficulty swallowing.
Rigid abdominal muscles.
Vertigo
- caused by inner ear infections
The sensation that you, or the environment around you, is moving or spinning. This feeling may be barely noticeable, or it may be so severe that you find it difficult to keep your balance and do everyday tasks
SYMPTOMS:
Problem focusing the eyes.
Dizziness.
Hearing loss in one or both ears.
Loss of balance (may cause falls)
Ringing in the ears.
Nausea and vomiting, leading to loss of body fluids.
CAUSE:
Labyrinthitis is usually caused by a viral infection, such as the common cold or flu, which spreads to the labyrinth. Less commonly, it’s caused by a bacterial infection. Vertigo caused by labyrinthitis may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, hearing loss, tinnitus and sometimes a high temperature and ear pain
