A group of diseases which cause inflammation of the brain and the spinal cord.
Acute inflammation of the brain and spinal cord, marked by fever, headache, neck and back pain, and vomiting; in severe cases and in weak or aged persons seizures, coma, and death may result.
Inflammation of the brain and spinal cord that may occur as a complication of a viral infection. Encephalomyelitis is distinct from encephalitis, which involves inflammation of the brain only. Both diseases can be serious and even life-threatening, especially in infants and older people. Many different viruses can cause encephalitis or encephalomyelitis, including herpes simplex, chickenpox, measles, mumps, Epstein-Barr virus, HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), polio, rabies, and mosquito-borne viruses. The bacterium that causes Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi, also can cause encephalitis or encephalomyelitis. Symptoms include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, lethargy, weakness, seizures, stiff neck, memory impairment, and confusion. Diagnosis and treatment require hospitalization. Treatment includes antiviral drugs, if available for the infection; corticosteroids in some instances; and supportive care.
An acute inflammatory disease affecting the brain and spinal cord. It is sometimes part of an overwhelming virus infection but acute disseminated encephalomyelitis is a form of delayed tissue hypersensitivity provoked by a mild infection or vaccination 7-10 days earlier. Survival through the acute phase of the illness is often followed by a remarkably complete recovery.
Encephalitis that is accompanied by infection and inflammation of the spinal cord. It may follow a viral infection or, in rare instances, a vaccination with a live, weakened virus.
This refers to a condition characterized by inflammation of the brain and spinal cord, typically caused by a viral infection, which results in damage to the nervous system.
Encephalomyelitis is a seldom-seen complication resulting from diseases like measles or, less frequently, other viral infections such as chickenpox, rubella, or glandular fever. This condition might also arise on rare occasions after receiving a vaccination for rabies.
The manifestation of encephalomyelitis includes symptoms such as fever, drowsiness, headaches, seizures, partial paralysis or loss of sensation, and in some instances, coma, which is defined as a state of unconsciousness with an inability to respond to internal or external stimuli.
The diagnosis of encephalomyelitis is determined through several diagnostic procedures including blood tests; CT scans or MRIs, which create cross-sectional or three-dimensional images of bodily structures; EEGs, which record the brain’s electrical activity; and lumbar punctures that involve extracting and analyzing a sample of fluid from the spinal canal. In rare instances, a brain biopsy, involving the removal and microscopic examination of a small piece of brain tissue, might also be conducted.
While there is no definitive cure for the condition, management includes administering corticosteroid medications to alleviate inflammation and anticonvulsant drugs to manage seizures.
The disease frequently results in death; moreover, survivors may endure irreversible harm to their nervous system.
Inflammation affecting both the brain and spinal cord.