Viral Encephalitis
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Viral Encephalitis
Viral encephalitis is inflammation of the brain parenchyma, called encephalitis, by a virus. The different forms of viral encephalitis are called viral encephalitides. It is the most common type of encephalitis and often occurs with viral meningitis. Encephalitic viruses first cause infection and replicate outside of the central nervous system (CNS), most reaching the CNS through the circulatory system and a minority from nerve endings toward the CNS. Once in the brain, the virus and the host's inflammatory response disrupt neural function, leading to illness and complications, many of which frequently are neurological in nature, such as impaired motor skills and altered behavior. Viral encephalitis can be diagnosed based on the individual's symptoms, personal history, such as travel history, and different clinical tests such as histology, medical imaging, and lumbar punctures. A differential diagnosis can also be done to rule out other causes of the encephalitis. Many encephalitic ...
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Inflammation
Inflammation (from ) is part of the biological response of body tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants. The five cardinal signs are heat, pain, redness, swelling, and loss of function (Latin ''calor'', ''dolor'', ''rubor'', ''tumor'', and ''functio laesa''). Inflammation is a generic response, and therefore is considered a mechanism of innate immunity, whereas adaptive immunity is specific to each pathogen. Inflammation is a protective response involving immune cells, blood vessels, and molecular mediators. The function of inflammation is to eliminate the initial cause of cell injury, clear out damaged cells and tissues, and initiate tissue repair. Too little inflammation could lead to progressive tissue destruction by the harmful stimulus (e.g. bacteria) and compromise the survival of the organism. However inflammation can also have negative effects. Too much inflammation, in the form of chronic inflammation, is associated with variou ...
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Cytomegalovirus
''Cytomegalovirus'' (CMV) (from ''cyto-'' 'cell' via Greek - 'container' + 'big, megalo-' + -''virus'' via Latin 'poison') is a genus of viruses in the order '' Herpesvirales'', in the family '' Herpesviridae'', in the subfamily '' Betaherpesvirinae''. Humans and other primates serve as natural hosts. The 11 species in this genus include '' human betaherpesvirus 5'' (HCMV, human cytomegalovirus, HHV-5), which is the species that infects humans. Diseases associated with HHV-5 include mononucleosis and pneumonia, and congenital CMV in infants can lead to deafness and ambulatory problems. In the medical literature, most mentions of CMV without further specification refer implicitly to human CMV. Human CMV is the most studied of all cytomegaloviruses. MX2/MXB protein was identified as a restriction factor for herpesviruses, which acts at a very early stage of the replication cycle and MX2/MXB restriction of herpesvirus requires GTPase activity. Taxonomy Within the '' Her ...
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Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Mammarenavirus
Lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCM) is a rodent-borne viral infectious disease that presents as aseptic meningitis, encephalitis or meningoencephalitis. Its causative agent is lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), a member of the family '' Arenaviridae''. The name was coined by Charles Armstrong in 1934. Lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCM) is "a viral infection of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord and of the cerebrospinal fluid". Lasker, Jill S. "Lymphocytic choriomeningitis". The name is based on the tendency of an individual to have abnormally high levels of lymphocytes during infection. Choriomeningitis is "cerebral meningitis in which there is marked cellular infiltration of the meninges, often with a lymphocytic infiltration of the choroid plexuses". Signs and symptoms LCMV infection manifests itself in a wide range of clinical symptoms, and may even be asymptomatic for immunocompetent individuals. CDC. "Information for Pet Owners: Reducing the Risk ...
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Japanese Encephalitis Virus
Japanese encephalitis (JE) is an infection of the brain caused by the Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV). While most infections result in little or no symptoms, occasional inflammation of the brain occurs. In these cases, symptoms may include headache, vomiting, fever, confusion and seizures. This occurs about 5 to 15 days after infection. JEV is generally spread by mosquitoes, specifically those of the ''Culex'' type. Pigs and wild birds serve as a reservoir for the virus. The disease occurs mostly outside of cities. Diagnosis is based on blood or cerebrospinal fluid testing. Prevention is generally achieved with the Japanese encephalitis vaccine, which is both safe and effective. Other measures include avoiding mosquito bites. Once infected, there is no specific treatment, with care being supportive. This is generally carried out in a hospital. Permanent problems occur in up to half of people who recover from JE. The disease primarily occurs in East and Southeast Asia as we ...
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Jamestown Canyon Virus
Jamestown Canyon encephalitis is an infectious disease caused by the Jamestown Canyon virus, an orthobunyavirus of the California serogroup. It is mainly spread during the summer by different mosquito species in the United States and Canada. The virus is one of a group of mosquito-borne or arthropod-borne viruses, also called arboviruses, that can cause fever and meningitis or meningoencephalitis, mostly in adults. Jamestown Canyon virus disease is relatively rare; in the United States, the CDC found only 31 disease cases from 2000 to 2013, but it is likely under-recognized and probably endemic throughout most of the United States and parts of Canada. Signs and symptoms About 2 days to 2 weeks after the bite of an infected mosquito, disease symptoms of a nonspecific summertime illness with sore throat, runny nose and cough, followed by fever, headache, nausea and vomiting can develop. Many cases are asymptomatic, although the ratio of symptomatic to asymptomatic cases is unkno ...
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Influenza Virus
''Orthomyxoviridae'' () is a family of negative-sense RNA viruses. It includes nine genera: '' Alphainfluenzavirus'', '' Betainfluenzavirus'', '' Gammainfluenzavirus'', '' Deltainfluenzavirus'', '' Isavirus'', '' Mykissvirus'', '' Quaranjavirus'', '' Sardinovirus'', and '' Thogotovirus''. The first four genera contain viruses that cause influenza in birds (see also avian influenza) and mammals, including humans. Isaviruses infect salmon; the thogotoviruses are arboviruses, infecting vertebrates and invertebrates (such as ticks and mosquitoes). The Quaranjaviruses are also arboviruses, infecting vertebrates (birds) and invertebrates (arthropods). The four genera of Influenza virus that infect vertebrates, which are identified by antigenic differences in their nucleoprotein and matrix protein, are as follows: * '' Alphainfluenzavirus'' infects humans, other mammals, and birds, and causes all flu pandemics * '' Betainfluenzavirus'' infects humans and seals * '' Gammainfluenz ...
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Human Herpesvirus 7
Human herpesvirus 7 (HHV-7) is one of nine known members of the ''Herpesviridae'' family that infects humans. HHV-7 is a member of ''Betaherpesvirinae'', a subfamily of the ''Herpesviridae'' that also includes HHV-6 and ''Cytomegalovirus'' (HHV-5 or HCMV). HHV-7 often acts together with HHV-6, and the viruses together are sometimes referred to by their genus, '' Roseolovirus''. HHV-7 was first isolated in 1990 from CD4+ T cells taken from peripheral blood lymphocytes. Signs and symptoms Both HHV-6B and HHV-7, as well as other viruses, can cause a skin condition in infants known as exanthema subitum, although HHV-7 causes the disease less frequently than HHV-6B. HHV-7 infection also leads to or is associated with a number of other symptoms, including acute febrile respiratory disease, fever, rash, vomiting, diarrhea, low lymphocyte counts, and febrile seizures, though most often no symptoms present at all. There are indications that HHV-7 can contribute to the development ...
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Human Herpesvirus 6
Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) is the common collective name for human herpesvirus 6A (HHV-6A) and human herpesvirus 6B (HHV-6B). These closely related viruses are two of the nine known herpesviruses that have humans as their primary host. HHV-6A and HHV-6B are double-stranded DNA viruses within the ''Betaherpesvirinae'' subfamily and of the genus '' Roseolovirus''. HHV-6A and HHV-6B infect almost all of the human populations that have been tested. HHV-6A has been described as more neurovirulent, and as such is more frequently found in patients with neuroinflammatory diseases such as multiple sclerosis. HHV-6 (and HHV-7) levels in the brain are also elevated in people with Alzheimer's disease. HHV-6B primary infection is the cause of the common childhood illness exanthema subitum (also known as roseola infantum or sixth disease). It is passed on from child to child. It is uncommon for adults to contract this disease as most people have had it by kindergarten, and once contract ...
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Herpes Simplex Virus
Herpes simplex virus 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2) are two members of the Herpesviridae#Human herpesvirus types, human ''Herpesviridae'' family, a set of viruses that produce Viral disease, viral infections in the majority of humans. Both HSV-1 and HSV-2 are very common and Infectious disease, contagious. They can be spread when an infected person begins viral shedding, shedding the virus. As of 2016, about 67% of the world population under the age of 50 had HSV-1. In the United States, about 47.8% and 11.9% are estimated to have HSV-1 and HSV-2, respectively, though actual prevalence may be much higher. Because it can be transmitted through any intimate contact, it is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections. Symptoms Many of those who are infected never develop symptoms. Symptoms, when they occur, may include watery blisters in the Human skin, skin of any location of the body, or in mucous membranes of the mouth, lips, nose, genitals, or eyes (herpes simplex ker ...
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