User talk:SUHAS13

Brain Fever is usually called meningitis or encephalitis today...

The hallmark signs of meningitis are sudden fever, severe headache, and a stiff neck; encephalitis is characterized by seizures, stupor, coma, and related neurological signs. In more severe cases, neurological symptoms may include nausea and vomiting, confusion and disorientation, drowsiness, sensitivity to bright light, and poor appetite.

Meningitis often appears with flu-like symptoms that develop over 1-2 days. Distinctive rashes are typically seen in some forms of the disease. Meningococcal meningitis may be associated with kidney and adrenal gland failure and shock.

Patients with encephalitis often show mild flu-like symptoms. In more severe cases, patients may experience problems with speech or hearing, double vision, hallucinations, personality changes, loss of consciousness, loss of sensation in some parts of the body, muscle weakness, partial paralysis in the arms and legs, sudden severe dementia, impaired judgment, seizures, and memory loss.

Important signs of encephalitis to watch for in an infant include vomiting, body stiffness, constant crying that may become worse when the child is picked up, and a full or bulging fontanel (the soft spot on the top of the head).

How are these infections treated?

Persons who are suspected of having meningitis or encephalitis should receive immediate, aggressive medical treatment. Both diseases can progress quickly and have the potential to cause severe, irreversible neurological damage.

Meningitis

Early treatment of bacterial meningitis is important to its outcome. Strong doses of general antibiotics may be prescribed first, followed by intravenous antibiotics in more severe cases. Antibiotics may also be given to prevent other bacterial infections. Appropriate antibiotic treatment for most types of meningitis can reduce the risk of dying from the disease to below 15 percent.

Infected sinuses may need to be drained. Corticosteroids such as prednisone may be ordered to relieve brain pressure and swelling and to prevent hearing loss that is common in patients with Haemophilus influenza meningitis. Pain medicine and sedatives may be given to make patients more comfortable. Lyme disease is treated with intravenous antibiotics.

Unlike bacteria, viruses cannot be killed by antibiotics (an exception is the herpes virus, which can be treated with the antiviral drug acyclovir). Patients with mild viral meningitis may be allowed to stay at home, while those who have a more serious infection may be hospitalized for supportive care. Patients with mild cases, which often cause only flu-like symptoms, may be treated with fluids, bed rest (preferably in a quiet, dark room), and analgesics for pain and fever. The physician may prescribe anticonvulsants such as dilantin or phenytoin to prevent seizures and corticoster--SUHAS13 (talk) 14:06, 17 June 2009 (UTC)--SUHAS13 (talk) 14:06, 17 June 2009 (UTC)oids to reduce brain inflammation. If inflammation is severe, pain medicine and sedatives may be prescribed to make the patient more comfortable.

Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis is treated with steroids. Fungal meningitis is treated with intravenous antifungal medications.

Encephalitis

Antiviral drugs used to treat viral encephalitis include acyclovir and ganciclovir.

Very mild cases of encephalitis may be monitored at home by the physician and a caregiver. Supportive care includes fluids, bed rest, and over-the-counter analgesics to reduce fever and headache. More severe cases may require hospitalization. Anticonvulsants may be prescribed to stop or prevent seizures, along with sedatives to calm more severely infected persons and drugs to counter nausea and vomiting. Corticosteroids and intravenous administration of carbohydrate solutions can reduce brain swelling. Patients with breathing difficulties may require artificial respiration.

Patients who experience severe brain inflammation may need physical, speech, and occupational therapy once the acute illness is under control.

I hope this is useful and the sort of thing you were looking for