|
 |
||
 |
| This glossary contains: 19186 medical terms |
 |
Encephalitis
|
|
Encephalitis A viral infection of the brain.
RELATED TERMS--------------------------------------
Infection
Anything that invades the body and reproduces. Infections can be bacteria, protozoa, fungi, or viruses. Bacteria and fungi are one celled creatures that cause many infections including strep throat, bladder infections, and some lung infections. Fungi cause “athlete’s foot” and thrush, an infection in the mouth. Protozoa are small organisms with many cells that can cause infections in the guts or in the lungs. Most healthy people do not get protozoal infections, but people with suppressed immune systems can. Viruses are not really organisms; they are tiny particles that can live only inside another cell. They reproduce by taking over a cell and causing that cell to make more virus particles, rather than doing what the cell is supposed to do. Viruses cause most colds and flu cases.
SIMILAR TERMS--------------------------------------
Encephalitis, LAC
LaCrosse encephalitis. An arbovirus is a virus that is arthropod-borne (carried by a mosquito, tick or another kind of arthropod). The arbovirus infects and inflames the brain. LAC encephalitis was first found in a 4-year-old in LaCrosse, Wisconsin in 1963. Since then, the virus has been identified in a number of Midwestern and Mid-Atlantic states. During an average year, about 75 cases of LAC encephalitis are reported to the CDC. However, the cases that are reported are probably just the tip of a much larger iceberg.
Encephalitis, LaCrosse
An arbovirus is a virus that is arthropod-borne (carried by a mosquito, tick or another kind of arthropod). The arbovirus infects and inflames the brain. LaCrosse encephalitis was first found in a 4-year-old in LaCrosse, Wisconsin in 1963. Since then, the virus has been identified in a number of Midwestern and Mid-Atlantic states. During an average year, about 75 cases of LAC encephalitis are reported to the CDC. However, the cases that are reported are probably just the tip of a much larger iceberg.
Encephalitis, Nipah virus
Brain inflammation (encephalitis) due to the Nipah virus that infects pigs and people. The main risk factor for Nipah virus encephalitis is recent contact with pigs. Most patients have had direct contact with pigs in the two weeks preceding the onset of the illness. The infection may spread to people through contact with pig secretions such as feces or saliva or through contact with infected dogs.
Encephalitis, Rasmussen
A rare progressive neurological disorder that is characterized by intractable seizures and progressive neurologic deterioration. To be more precise, there are frequent and severe seizures (convulsions), progressive loss of motor skills and speech, hemiparesis (paralysis on one side of the body), encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), dementia, and mental deterioration. The disorder affects a single brain hemisphere (one side or the other of the brain but not both sides) and generally occurs in children under the age of 15.
Encephalitis, St. Louis
A disease caused by a virus transmitted from birds to the common Culex mosquito to people. Signs and symptoms include the sudden onset of drowsiness, headache and nausea (due to the encephalitis), pain in the abdomen, a rash, and swollen glands (lymphadenopathy). These features are usually but not always mild. The fatal cases tend to involve infants and small children (under age 5), the aged, and people with an impaired immune system. The virus is closely related to other flaviviruses including those responsible for West Nile encephalitis, Japanese encephalitis and Murray Valley encephalitis.
Encephalitis, viral
Inflammation of the brain as a result of virus infection. There are many viruses that cause viral encephalitis.
Encephalitis, West Nile
A febrile disease caused by the West Nile virus that is transmitted from birds to the common Culex mosquito and then to people.Signs and symptoms include the sudden onset of drowsiness, headache and nausea due to encephalitis, pain in the abdomen, a rash, and swollen glands (lymphadenopathy). These features are usually but not always mild. Fatal cases tend to involve infants and small children under age 5, the aged, and people with an impaired immune system. West Nile encephalitis is also known as West Nile fever. The virus is closely related to other flaviviruses including those responsible for St. Louis encephalitis, Japanese encephalitis and Murray Valley encephalitis.
Encephalomyelitis
Inflammation of both the brain and the spinal cord. Encephalomyelitis can be caused by a variety of conditions that lead to inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. Among the common causes of encephalomyelitis are viruses which infect the nervous system. One type of encephalomyelitis, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, occurs most commonly after an acute viral infection such as measles (rubeola) and is due to be an autoimmune attack upon the nervous system.
Encephalopathic syndrome
A dangerous condition with symptoms similar to those of neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS), of which it may be a variant. It is associated with lithium toxicity.
PREVIOUS AND NEXT TERMS--------------------------------------
Emphysema
Lung disease where the alveoli -parts of the lungs where gas is exchanged- have lost their elasticity. Breathing becomes increasingly difficult, and emphysema patients have to use other muscles to breathe out. The main cause of emphysema is smoking.
Earache
Any ache or pain arising in the ear. Technically it may be called otalgia or otodynia.
Ephedra
Ephedra is a genus of gymnosperm shrubs, the only genus in the family Ephedraceae and order Ephedrales. These plants occur in dry climates over a wide area mainly in the Northern Hemisphere, across southern Europe, north Africa, southwest and central Asia, southwestern North America, and, in the Southern Hemisphere, in South America south to Patagonia. They are also called Joint-pine, Jointfir, yellow horse, country mallow, squaw tea or Mormon Tea. The Chinese species are known as Ma huang.
Ecstasy
Ecstasy, or MDMA (methylenedioxymethamphetamine), is a synthetic drug that acts simultaneously as a stimulant and a hallucinogen. Users sometimes take Ecstasy for the sense of well-being, the sensory distortions caused by the drug, or to stay awake. Ecstasy has been shown to cause brain damage in animals.
Embolus
A "wandering" blood clot.
Encephalitis
Euphoria
Euphoria represents a feeling of well-being or elation; may be drug related. The opposite of euphoria is known as dysphoria.
Extensor muscle
Any muscle that causes the straightening of a limb or other part.
Extrapyramidal system
System consisting of nerve cells, nerve tracts and pathways that connects the cerebral cortex, basal ganglia, thalamus, cerebellum, reticular formation, and spinal neurons that is concerned with the regulation of reflex movements such as balance and walking.
Enamel
Hard tissue covering the portion of tooth above the gum line.
Endodontist
Specialist who treats injuries, diseases and infections of the tooth pulp (nerve chamber).
RELATED TERMS--------------------------------------
Infection
Anything that invades the body and reproduces. Infections can be bacteria, protozoa, fungi, or viruses. Bacteria and fungi are one celled creatures that cause many infections including strep throat, bladder infections, and some lung infections. Fungi cause “athlete’s foot” and thrush, an infection in the mouth. Protozoa are small organisms with many cells that can cause infections in the guts or in the lungs. Most healthy people do not get protozoal infections, but people with suppressed immune systems can. Viruses are not really organisms; they are tiny particles that can live only inside another cell. They reproduce by taking over a cell and causing that cell to make more virus particles, rather than doing what the cell is supposed to do. Viruses cause most colds and flu cases.
SIMILAR TERMS--------------------------------------
Encephalitis, LAC
LaCrosse encephalitis. An arbovirus is a virus that is arthropod-borne (carried by a mosquito, tick or another kind of arthropod). The arbovirus infects and inflames the brain. LAC encephalitis was first found in a 4-year-old in LaCrosse, Wisconsin in 1963. Since then, the virus has been identified in a number of Midwestern and Mid-Atlantic states. During an average year, about 75 cases of LAC encephalitis are reported to the CDC. However, the cases that are reported are probably just the tip of a much larger iceberg.
Encephalitis, LaCrosse
An arbovirus is a virus that is arthropod-borne (carried by a mosquito, tick or another kind of arthropod). The arbovirus infects and inflames the brain. LaCrosse encephalitis was first found in a 4-year-old in LaCrosse, Wisconsin in 1963. Since then, the virus has been identified in a number of Midwestern and Mid-Atlantic states. During an average year, about 75 cases of LAC encephalitis are reported to the CDC. However, the cases that are reported are probably just the tip of a much larger iceberg.
Encephalitis, Nipah virus
Brain inflammation (encephalitis) due to the Nipah virus that infects pigs and people. The main risk factor for Nipah virus encephalitis is recent contact with pigs. Most patients have had direct contact with pigs in the two weeks preceding the onset of the illness. The infection may spread to people through contact with pig secretions such as feces or saliva or through contact with infected dogs.
Encephalitis, Rasmussen
A rare progressive neurological disorder that is characterized by intractable seizures and progressive neurologic deterioration. To be more precise, there are frequent and severe seizures (convulsions), progressive loss of motor skills and speech, hemiparesis (paralysis on one side of the body), encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), dementia, and mental deterioration. The disorder affects a single brain hemisphere (one side or the other of the brain but not both sides) and generally occurs in children under the age of 15.
Encephalitis, St. Louis
A disease caused by a virus transmitted from birds to the common Culex mosquito to people. Signs and symptoms include the sudden onset of drowsiness, headache and nausea (due to the encephalitis), pain in the abdomen, a rash, and swollen glands (lymphadenopathy). These features are usually but not always mild. The fatal cases tend to involve infants and small children (under age 5), the aged, and people with an impaired immune system. The virus is closely related to other flaviviruses including those responsible for West Nile encephalitis, Japanese encephalitis and Murray Valley encephalitis.
Encephalitis, viral
Inflammation of the brain as a result of virus infection. There are many viruses that cause viral encephalitis.
Encephalitis, West Nile
A febrile disease caused by the West Nile virus that is transmitted from birds to the common Culex mosquito and then to people.Signs and symptoms include the sudden onset of drowsiness, headache and nausea due to encephalitis, pain in the abdomen, a rash, and swollen glands (lymphadenopathy). These features are usually but not always mild. Fatal cases tend to involve infants and small children under age 5, the aged, and people with an impaired immune system. West Nile encephalitis is also known as West Nile fever. The virus is closely related to other flaviviruses including those responsible for St. Louis encephalitis, Japanese encephalitis and Murray Valley encephalitis.
Encephalomyelitis
Inflammation of both the brain and the spinal cord. Encephalomyelitis can be caused by a variety of conditions that lead to inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. Among the common causes of encephalomyelitis are viruses which infect the nervous system. One type of encephalomyelitis, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, occurs most commonly after an acute viral infection such as measles (rubeola) and is due to be an autoimmune attack upon the nervous system.
Encephalopathic syndrome
A dangerous condition with symptoms similar to those of neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS), of which it may be a variant. It is associated with lithium toxicity.
PREVIOUS AND NEXT TERMS--------------------------------------
Emphysema
Lung disease where the alveoli -parts of the lungs where gas is exchanged- have lost their elasticity. Breathing becomes increasingly difficult, and emphysema patients have to use other muscles to breathe out. The main cause of emphysema is smoking.
Earache
Any ache or pain arising in the ear. Technically it may be called otalgia or otodynia.
Ephedra
Ephedra is a genus of gymnosperm shrubs, the only genus in the family Ephedraceae and order Ephedrales. These plants occur in dry climates over a wide area mainly in the Northern Hemisphere, across southern Europe, north Africa, southwest and central Asia, southwestern North America, and, in the Southern Hemisphere, in South America south to Patagonia. They are also called Joint-pine, Jointfir, yellow horse, country mallow, squaw tea or Mormon Tea. The Chinese species are known as Ma huang.
Ecstasy
Ecstasy, or MDMA (methylenedioxymethamphetamine), is a synthetic drug that acts simultaneously as a stimulant and a hallucinogen. Users sometimes take Ecstasy for the sense of well-being, the sensory distortions caused by the drug, or to stay awake. Ecstasy has been shown to cause brain damage in animals.
Embolus
A "wandering" blood clot.
Encephalitis
Euphoria
Euphoria represents a feeling of well-being or elation; may be drug related. The opposite of euphoria is known as dysphoria.
Extensor muscle
Any muscle that causes the straightening of a limb or other part.
Extrapyramidal system
System consisting of nerve cells, nerve tracts and pathways that connects the cerebral cortex, basal ganglia, thalamus, cerebellum, reticular formation, and spinal neurons that is concerned with the regulation of reflex movements such as balance and walking.
Enamel
Hard tissue covering the portion of tooth above the gum line.
Endodontist
Specialist who treats injuries, diseases and infections of the tooth pulp (nerve chamber).
We thank you for using the Medical Glossary to search for Encephalitis. If you have a better definition for Encephalitis than the one presented here, please let us know by making use of the suggest a term option. This definition of Encephalitis may be disputed by other professionals. Our attempt is to provide easy definitions on Encephalitis and any other medical topic for the public at large.
This dictionary contains 19186 terms.
|
|