Slow brain infections

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What is it about ?

An infection of the brain (encephalitis) can be caused by many viruses.

Some viruses cause a gradual increase in damage to the brain, causing more and more symptoms. Damage to the brain can be fatal.

The most important causes of encephalitis are:

  • Measles virus: It can cause complications, such as inflammation of the brain. This happens especially in children and young adults. The risk of death is great, and survival is often associated with serious sequelae, such as epilepsy and of deafness ;
  • JC (John-Cunningham) virus: It can cause progressive infection of the brain in people with HIV and those who take drugs intended to block the action of the immune system (immunosuppressive drugs);
  • Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease.

What is their frequency?

Thanks to the vaccine against measles, encephalitis caused by the measles virus has become very rare. It still occurs in approximately 0.1% of people with measles. The other two causes of encephalitis are extremely rare.

How to recognize them?

Damage to brain tissue can lead to symptoms such as:

  • decreased state of consciousness or confusion,
  • change in personality and / or intellectual capacity,
  • convulsions,
  • difficulties in speaking,
  • paralysis,
  • vision problem or trouble with eye movement
  • degradation of the ability to memorize, pay attention and concentrate (called cognitive functions of the brain)
  • muscle contractions
  • etc.

These conditions are fatal or cause permanent disability.

How is the diagnosis made?

If you suspect a viral infection of the brain, you will be sent to hospital for an examination. lumbar puncture to collect some cerebrospinal fluid. A scan (CT or MRI) of the head can provide additional information. Sometimes an EEG (brain wave test) is done.

What can your doctor do?

There is no treatment for these viral infections. However, the doctor can treat the symptoms and give you some comfort.

The disease is not expected to spread further. Patients with Creutzfeldt-Jacob cannot donate organs. Contact with the blood of a patient with Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease during treatment should be avoided to prevent contamination.

Want to know more?

Source

Foreign clinical practice guide ‘Slow viral infections of the central nervous system’ (2000), updated on 08.05.2017 and adapted to the Belgian context on 28.12.2019 – ebpracticenet