Pathophysiology of Meningitis and Encephalitis Essay -- Biology Medica

Pathophysiology of Meningitis and Encephalitis Meningitis and encephalitis are two similar infections of the central nervous system that often lead to fatality of the host organism. Both diseases occur when pathogens enter the blood stream and gain access into the central nervous system. Stimulating inflammation within the cranial cavity, the pathogens continue to multiply and take harmful effects on the host. Inflammation, the body’s response to infection, ultimately causes all of the symptoms and complications of meningitis and encephalitis. The pathophysiology of meningitis and encephalitis aids in the explanation and understanding of the symptoms, effects, and underlying agendas of the two infections. Meningitis is the inflammation of the meninges, membranes that encase the brain and spinal cord. Although meningitis can result from protozoal or fungal infections, bacteria and viruses typically cause the often fatal disease. Known for its sudden onset of flu-like symptoms, the infection rapidly progresses into an agonizing cascade of high fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, light sensitivity, purpura (dark discolorations of the skin caused by bleeding beneath the skin), and possibly seizures. In severe cases of meningitis, limbs or extremities must be amputated due to the appearance of purpura. Viral meningitis, the most common form of the disease, often resolves itself without treatment within a few days. However, bacterial meningitis, somewhat rare in the United States but rampant in West Africa, requires immediate attention in order to prevent fatality. The bacteria that cause meningitis include Streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis, Streptococcus agalactiae, and Listeria monocytogenes. The severity of the body’... ...ia Britannica Online. 20 July 2006 . â€Å"Meningitis.† Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia. 20 July 2006. MediaWiki. 21 July 2006 . Patel, Mahesh R. â€Å"Herpes Encephalitis.† E Medicine. 2006. Health on the Net Foundation. 24 July 2006 . Phillips, Elizabeth J. and Andrew E. Simor. â€Å"Bacterial Meningitis in Children and Adults.† Postgraduate Medicine Online. 1998. 23 July 2006 . â€Å"Photobia.† Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia. 20 July 2006. MediaWiki. 21 July 2006 . Sande, Merle A., Arnold L. Smith, and Richard K. Root. Bacterial Meningitis. New York: Churchill Livingstone, 1985. 6 â€Å"Viral Encephalitis.† Better Health Channel. 2005. State Government Victoria. 23 July 2006 . 7