It's called inflammation of the meninges. Syphilitic infection symptoms

Inflammation of the cerebral cortex, or meningitis, is a disease caused by various bacteria, fungi or viruses. The consequences of such a disease can be very serious and threaten a person’s life. Inflammation of the cerebral cortex occurs at any age, but mainly affects children and people with a severely weakened immune system. Fighting meningitis it will go faster, if its symptoms are recognized in time and treatment is started.

Meningitis is primary, when meningococci, pneumococci and others penetrate the lining of the brain. pathogenic microorganisms, as well as a secondary form, in which complications of a dangerous disease appear. From the very beginning of the disease, a person develops weakness, a sharp pain in the head that does not stop for a long time, and an acute reaction to light and smells. Even light touches to it are unpleasant for a person, sweating increases, and vomiting may not stop for a long time.

The rapid development of the disease leads to the appearance of all characteristic features within 24 hours, and then without treatment, cerebral edema develops when the patient has severe convulsions and a delirious state.

The inflammatory process occurs in mild and severe forms. Symptoms for lung are as follows:

temperature rise to 40° and above;
stiffness of the neck muscles;
severe pain in the head;
the appearance of pain in the eyes;
severe muscle soreness;
lethargy and drowsiness;
vomiting and nausea.

During severe course illness, a person experiences hallucinations and loses memory. Secondary meningitis is characterized by increased intracranial pressure, high sweating, tachycardia and a change in complexion to a darker shade. The problem is that the symptoms of meningitis are often confused with acute viral diseases, so proper treatment starts too late.

Over time, the pain becomes completely unbearable for the patient. Painful sensations aggravated by rapid movements and noise around. Red spots may appear on the body, small rash, especially when affected by meningococcus. Sometimes patients suffer from strabismus due to the effect on nerve endings.

A few days after the first signs appear, the patient breathes incorrectly, urination may be impaired, drowsiness will appear, and the symptoms of central nervous system damage will slightly decrease. Next, muscle spasms intensify, paralysis occurs and general weakness person. The development of inflammation of the cerebral cortex and its degree in each person is determined by different factors.

If treatment is carried out on initial stage, the disease recedes without consequences. In rare cases, inflammation of the cerebral cortex leads to hearing loss, visual impairment and mental development children. Sometimes meningitis leads to death or coma, so the first signs of the disease should be the reason to seek medical help.

Possible causes of meningitis

In the analysis of fluid from the peri-cerebral space, many proteins will be present. If the nature of the causative agent of the disease is known, then treatment is prescribed. Before antibiotic therapy, seven out of ten patients died from meningococcal infection. Today, you cannot do without such drugs if bacteria are the cause of the disease. The effectiveness of treatment also depends on when the patient sought help.

The first step on the road to recovery is taking antibiotics. In case of cerebral edema, diuretics are needed; they are also prescribed for preventive purposes. Antibiotics include penicillins, cephalosporins, and aminoglycosides. Sometimes anti-tuberculosis and anti-fungal medications are necessary.

A very strong group of antibiotics for the treatment of meningitis is selected, and the medicine is introduced into the body within ten days. The type of drug depends on the course of the inflammatory process.

If the cause of the disease is a virus, then the doctor prescribes symptomatic treatment to reduce high fever, stop hallucinations and delusions. A group of antiviral drugs using interferon is prescribed in especially severe cases. Intoxication of the body is removed with an isotonic solution. Edema, in addition to diuretics, is stopped with glucocorticosteroids. Less commonly, the cause of the disease is fungi, which are eliminated with antifungal agents.

Why is it important to start treatment on time?

At the slightest suspicion of meningitis, the person should be treated. The consequences of brain inflammation are so serious that every minute counts. Among the most dangerous complications is an inflammatory process medulla and abscess development.

In case of an abscess it is necessary surgical intervention, because the risk of death is very high. During the operation, the entire focus of inflammation is excised, but despite the therapy, about 20% of patients die from inflammation of the cerebral cortex.

Meningitis even with mild flow leads to many complications, so you should always monitor your health and not ignore seemingly frivolous symptoms. People often confuse the inflammatory process of the cerebral cortex with widespread viral diseases and go to the hospital too late.

Intracranial inflammatory processes are usually accompanied by headache. The main ones are: inflammation of the membranes of the brain (meningitis and arachnoiditis), inflammation of the brain substance (encephalitis), processes of the paranasal cavities and middle ear.

With meningitis, the painful process develops in the pia mater, but in some cases the arachnoid membrane may be predominantly affected. Inflammation of the arachnoid membrane is called arachnoiditis.

One of the common acute forms of meningitis is acute purulent epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis. It begins suddenly with the appearance of a headache among full health. The headache is diffuse and does not have any strict localization. The pain is steadily increasing, as if it is bursting from the inside of the head. The temperature quickly rises to 39-40°, severe chills, vomiting, convulsions appear, muscle tension in the back of the head occurs, and blackouts occur. The headache turns out to be so excruciating that patients, who are in a state of stunned consciousness, groan and clutch their heads with their hands. Any movement, sharp sound, bright light intensifies the headache. Conventional painkillers do not relieve headaches. It decreases after a spinal puncture, which temporarily reduces intracranial pressure. The resulting fluid contains the causative agents of meningitis - pyogenic cocci (meningococci).

In addition to inflammation of the membranes caused by meningococci, purulent meningitis can develop when other bacteria enter the membranes of the brain from purulent inflammatory foci. The sources of infection in these cases are inflammation of the middle ear (otitis), chronic inflammation in the bones (osteomyelitis), purulent processes of the face and oral cavity, etc. Secondary purulent meningitis, as these diseases are usually called, are similar to the clinical picture of epidemic cerebral meningitis. With them there is a meningeal symptom complex, the leading sign of which is also strong headache, which does not have a clear localization. Only in some cases can patients indicate the predominant severity of the headache in one or another part of it: the forehead, temples or back of the head.

In addition to the purulent meningitis described above, there may also be non-purulent, or, as they are also called, serous meningitis, which is caused by viruses and some bacteria (tuberculosis, syphilis, etc.). Serous meningitis can be acute or chronic. Headache with acute serous meningitis is less pronounced than with purulent meningitis, but it occurs as acutely as with purulent meningitis and does not have a clear localization. An example of such a disease can be the quite common serous limited post-influenza meningitis (arachnoiditis) caused by the influenza virus.

One of the relatively common species serous meningitis - tuberculous. Features of headache tuberculous meningitis- its steady increase.

Serous meningitis is often chronic. They usually develop after intracranial infectious diseases, as well as after traumatic brain injuries. Headache with chronic serous meningitis occurs gradually. It is usually diffuse, constant and does not have any localization. The peculiarity of headache with serous meningitis is the frequency of its exacerbations. A type of serous meningitis is arachnoiditis (inflammation of the arachnoid membrane of the brain). In most cases of arachnoiditis, the pia mater is also involved in the process, but inflammatory changes still predominate in arachnoid membrane. Arachnoiditis is usually caused by infection or traumatic brain injury. There are two main forms of arachnoiditis - adhesive and cystic. With the first, adhesions are formed, and with the second, cavities of varying sizes are formed - cysts filled clear liquid, colorless or slightly yellowish. Cysts can be single or multiple.

With arachnoiditis of the predominantly convex surface of the cerebral hemisphere, the headache can be both general, diffuse, and local, localized in the frontal, parietotemporal and occipital regions.

Only in rare cases can one trace the relationship between the localization of the pathological process and the predominant manifestation pain syndrome. Very severe pain, mainly in the occipital region, arachnoiditis of the posterior cranial fossa appears. The pain turns out to be constant. at times intensifying in paroxysms, it can radiate to the frontal, temporal and temporo-parietal regions. But in all these cases, the pain is usually combined with pain in the occipital region. It is often accompanied by nausea and even vomiting.

In the development of headaches, irritation of sensitive nerve endings And nerve fibers membranes of the brain with infectious toxins. Irritation of pain receptors in the walls of the vessels of the dura mater plays a certain role. It is also important to increase the excitability of the central nervous systems of the brain to pain impulses.

Treatment of headaches due to meningitis is included in the complex therapeutic measures underlying disease. Headache decreases after spinal puncture. For meningitis, puncture is medical procedure. Patients, having experienced relief after puncture, subsequently ask to be punctured again. And in some cases, only a spinal puncture relieves headaches. Usually, painkillers (“for headaches”) are not very effective for meningitis pain. Treatment of acute meningitis is carried out only in a hospital setting.

Patients with cerebral arachnoiditis are prescribed various anti-inflammatory drugs and agents that lower intracranial pressure. Absorbable agents are effective. In cases of headaches that are difficult to treat with medication, they resort to radiotherapy and surgical excision of scar and granulomatous tissue.

Inflammatory processes localized in the brain are called encephalitis. They can be acute or chronic. Acute encephalitis includes tick-borne, mosquito-borne and so-called epidemic encephalitis.

Each type of encephalitis is manifested by corresponding, inherent symptoms. And with all of them, one of the leading symptoms of the disease is headache.

The most intense headache is in initial period tick-borne encephalitis. Usually this is a constant headache spread throughout the head, accompanied by high temperature. It is often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

In epidemic encephalitis, the headache usually does not have a clear localization and is not constant.

There are also encephalitis that develop as a complication of various inflammatory diseases, the so-called secondary encephalitis: influenza, rheumatic, typhoid, measles, smallpox, scarlet fever, etc.

With them, headache is also one of the leading symptoms. It is usually diffuse, in some cases it can be pulsating.

In addition to acute, there are chronic encephalitis. With them, the headache is expressed, as a rule, mildly, it is constant, and can periodically worsen.

In the mechanism of occurrence of headaches in encephalitis, irritation of sensitive nerve endings in the membranes of the brain, which in encephalitis are also involved in pathological process In addition, with encephalitis, irritation of the sensitive endings in the walls of blood vessels occurs. What factors cause these processes? There are two main ones: chemical (infectious toxins) and mechanical (compression of nerve fibers during swelling and stretching, with increased intracranial pressure).

Relieves headaches acute period cold on the head, painkillers, drugs that lower intracranial pressure. Prescribing distracting agents (mustard plasters, jars, etc.) is also effective.

As a result of infection entering the cranial cavity, purulent foci, called abscesses, can develop in the substance of the brain. Infectious agents can enter the brain in various ways during penetrating wounds of the skull, when bacteria spread through the blood or lymph from various purulent foci: from the middle ear with purulent otitis, paranasal cavities with their purulent inflammation, from ulcers on the skin of the face and head, purulent processes in the lungs, bones of the extremities (osteomyelitis), etc.

Headache due to brain abscess is one of the early signs of the disease. It appears gradually against the background of a general deterioration in the patient’s well-being: Bad mood, depression; lack of appetite, general weakness. The headache often spreads to the entire head; in some cases, there may be an increase in headache in any area of the head. Sometimes the pain is pulsating. It intensifies with movement, especially when turning the head. When you tap your fingers on the head, the pain may intensify in the area where the abscess is located. The peculiarity of headache with brain abscesses is that it usually grows steadily. Taking headache pills does not bring relief.

Over time, as the disease process progresses, the nature of the headache may change; it becomes diffuse and manifests itself as a feeling of heaviness in the head. The change in the nature of headaches is explained by the fact that additional mechanisms are included in the processes of its development; due to increased intracranial pressure, hypertension syndrome occurs. In general, the mechanism of development of headaches with brain abscesses plays a role in increased excitability of the central apparatus of the brain due to the action of infectious-toxic factors, increased intracranial pressure, as well as tension in formations sensitive to painful stimuli near the abscess and at a distance from it.

The prescription of various symptomatic remedies for an abscess turns out to be ineffective or brings very short-term relief. The main type of treatment in these cases is removal of the abscess in a hospital setting.

Meningitis - inflammation meninges. The cause of conquest can be bacteria, fungi, protozoa, or viruses. There are primary and secondary meningitis. In primary meningitis, inflammation of the meninges is not preceded by diseases of any other organs. Secondary meningitis occurs as a complication of other diseases (inflammation of the middle ear cavity, purulent processes in the face and head, traumatic brain injury, tuberculosis, parotitis and etc.). By clinical course Meningitis is divided into fulminant, acute, subacute and chronic. The course of meningitis depends on the nature of the pathogen, the reactivity of the body, and the age of the patient.

Main clinical manifestation meningitis is meningeal (meningeal) syndrome, which includes headache, vomiting, general hyperesthesia, specific posture of the patient and a number of other symptoms.

The headache is usually diffuse and occurs at any time of the day. It is caused by toxic and mechanical (due to increased intracranial pressure) irritation of the receptors of the meninges. The headache is accompanied by vomiting, which occurs suddenly or against the background of previous nausea. Vomiting is not associated with food intake and brings some relief.

General hyperesthesia is observed. The patient is extremely uncomfortable with touching the skin, visual and auditory influences. The basis of general hyperesthesia is mechanical irritation of the sensory roots of the spinal and cranial nerves by the cerebrospinal fluid overflowing the subarachnoid space.

The posture of patients with meningitis is characteristic: the head is thrown back, the torso is arched, the stomach is retracted, the arms are bent, pressed to the chest, the legs are pulled up to the stomach (Fig. 87, a). This position of the patient is a consequence of reflex tonic muscle tension. This mechanism underlies other meningeal symptoms. Rigidity of the neck muscles is detected when trying to bend the patient's head to the chest (Fig. 87, b).

Let's name the symptoms observed with meningitis. Kernig's sign is the inability to straighten a leg at the knee joint, previously bent at the hip and knee joints(Fig. 87, c).

A - posture of a patient with meningitis; b - muscle tension in the back of the head and upper symptom Brudzinsky; c - Kernig's sign and lower symptom Brudzinsky

The upper Brudzinsky symptom is involuntary flexion of the legs at the knee and hip joints when bringing the patient's head to the chest (Fig. 87, b).

The lower Brudzinski symptom is involuntary flexion of one leg at the knee and hip joints when extending the other (Fig. 87, c).

The symptom of Lesage hanging is determined in young children: the child, raised under the armpits, pulls his legs towards his stomach and holds them in this position for some time (Fig. 88).

Bekhterev's symptom is a grimace of pain on the corresponding half of the face, which occurs when tapping on the zygomatic arch. A symptom of sitting up is the inability to sit in bed with straight legs.

The most constant and obligatory sign of meningitis is inflammatory changes in cerebrospinal fluid, characterized by an increase in the number of cells and a moderate increase in protein content (protein-cell dissociation). Changes in the cerebrospinal fluid make it possible to diagnose meningitis even in the absence of pronounced meningeal symptoms, as is often the case in young children (clinically asymptomatic, liquor-positive meningitis).

Depending on the nature of the inflammatory process and changes in the cerebrospinal fluid, meningitis is divided into purulent and serous.

Purulent meningitis is caused mainly by bacteria - meningococcus, pneumococcus, staphylococcus, streptococcus, coli, Proteus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, etc. In purulent meningitis, the meninges are saturated with serous-purulent effusion, located on the convex surface of the brain and its base. If no treatment is carried out, then by the 4th -8th day the purulent effusion thickens, settles on the meninges and changes their structure. Inflammation can spread to the membranes of the spinal and cranial nerves, the inner lining of the ventricles, the substance and vessels of the brain. Pathological changes in the meninges, if untimely and incorrectly treated, can lead to blockage of the cerebrospinal fluid spaces, disruption of the production of reabsorption of cerebrospinal fluid, and the development of hydrocephalus. Meningeal syndrome with purulent meningitis usually develops against the background of pronounced signs of intoxication, i.e. poisoning with poisons and other waste products of bacteria. Such signs include increased breathing and heart rate, lack of appetite, pallor or grayish tint of the skin, cyanosis of the nasolabial triangle, anxiety or lethargy, and indifference of patients. With erased, abortive forms of purulent meningitis, symptoms of general intoxication may come to the fore. In acute and fulminant cases due to the development of cerebral edema, sometimes in the first hours of the disease disturbances of consciousness may be observed and at the same time seizures. Such attacks sometimes develop into status epilepticus- a condition in which convulsive attacks follow one after another.

Secondary forms of purulent meningitis are accompanied by clinical symptoms, caused by a certain localization of the primary infectious focus. Symptoms such as severe respiratory failure due to pneumococcal disease, severe diarrhea (diarrhea) and exicosis (dehydration) due to E. coli infection can be mentioned. Extrathecal symptoms also include various kinds skin rashes, which may be a consequence of toxic paresis small vessels skin or their bacterial embolism (Fig. 89).

In the blood with purulent meningitis, significant leukocytosis (3.0-109/l or more) and an increase in erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) are observed. The cerebrospinal fluid is turbid, purulent, and milky white. The number of cells reaches several thousand in 1 mm3, of which 70-100% are neutrophils. The protein content is slightly increased. The amount of sugar is normal or reduced. The form of purulent meningitis is established when bacteriological research cerebrospinal fluid.

The course of purulent meningitis and the nature of the consequences largely depend on the timeliness and nature of the treatment. With early and rational therapy, the condition of patients improves significantly on the 3rd - 4th day of illness; complete normalization occurs by 8–15 days. In these cases, after purulent meningitis in children, mildly expressed residual effects in the form of increased excitability and exhaustion may be observed. nervous system, emotional instability, impaired concentration, hydrocephalic syndrome. With a late diagnosis and improper therapy, a protracted course of purulent meningitis is possible, leading to gross disturbances in the structure of the meninges, discirculation of cerebrospinal fluid and other complications. An increase in the secretion of cerebrospinal fluid, a violation of its reabsorption, as well as disorders that prevent its normal movement in the ventricular system and sub-arachnoid space are the causes of the development of hydrocephalus. Hydrocephalus is most often observed with meningitis in young children. Approximately 20% of children who have suffered purulent meningitis show signs of focal damage to the nervous system: epileptiform convulsions, convergent and divergent strabismus, paresis facial nerve, deafness, vegetative-metabolic disorders, motor disorders, mental retardation.

Serous meningitis is caused mainly by viruses. Pathomorphological changes in them are less severe than in purulent meningitis. A serous inflammatory process is observed in the meninges, the main characteristics of which are swelling and congestion of the blood vessels. In the clinical picture of serous meningitis, in contrast to purulent meningitis, signs of intoxication are less pronounced. The leading symptoms are increased intracranial pressure: frequent vomiting, headache, agitation, anxiety. Lethargy, adynamia, and lethargy are less common.

The pressure in the cerebrospinal fluid is increased. It flows out in frequent drops or streams. The liquid is colorless, transparent. Her cellular composition is represented mainly by lymphocytes, the number of which ranges from several tens to several hundred per 1 mm3. Lumbar puncture with serous meningitis it usually brings relief to patients. Serous meningitis, as a rule, does not leave significant consequences. You may experience a headache for some time, increased fatigue, emotional lability, rapid exhaustion of the nervous system. Treatment of meningitis in the acute period should begin as early as possible and be carried out in a hospital under the supervision of medical personnel. For all forms of purulent meningitis antibacterial therapy. The use of a particular tibiotic depends on the type of pathogen. Before determining the nature of the pathogen, so-called urgent (urgent) antibacterial therapy is carried out. For meningococcal meningitis, they begin with the prescription of penicillin, which in 90% of cases is effective means treatment. Penicillin is used in large doses, according to the age and body weight of the child. Penicillin is administered at short intervals (2-3) in order to maintain its therapeutic concentration in the blood. If the type of pathogen is established, then you need to use those antibiotics to which the bacteria are more sensitive. Along with antibacterial agents, agents are used that reduce cerebral edema and intracranial pressure, relieving nonspecific allergic reactions, normalizing blood circulation, acid-base status and mineral metabolism, antipyretics, etc. The outcome of the disease and the nature of the disease depend on how early they start and how rationally the treatment is carried out. residual effects. A child who has had meningitis needs a gentle health regimen, healthy sleep stay on fresh air, good nutrition. A child’s activities should not be monotonous for a long time. It is necessary to alternate between mental and physical activity. The child should be given vitamins, as well as drugs that improve metabolism in the brain tissue and increase the supply of oxygen to the brain.

Brain inflammation is a very serious pathology that is characterized by death nerve cells and damage to the nervous system.

The disease may be infectious or allergic nature. In most cases, it develops as an independent disease, but can be the result of a previously suffered pathology.

It is possible to defeat the disease if it is done in a timely manner established diagnosis and competent immediate treatment.

Depending on the location of the lesion, there are two types of inflammation of the brain - encephalitis and meningitis.

Inflammation of the cerebral cortex can manifest itself in acute, subacute and chronic forms.

Each of them has its own specific manifestations and, accordingly, different treatment tactics.

Meningitis

With this disease, an inflammatory process of the lining of the brain develops; it can be provoked by:

viruses;
bacteria;
fungi.

It is very important to recognize it in time - it can save the child’s life!

Encephalitis

With this pathology, the substance of the brain becomes inflamed. Depending on the form of the disease, it can be severe and lead to death or mild.

According to medical statistics, the disease is more often observed in childhood.

There are primary and secondary encephalitis. In the first case, the disease can develop after a tick bite, influenza or herpes.

The secondary form develops as a complication of certain diseases, namely:

rubella;
chicken pox;
malaria;
measles

Also, a secondary form of encephalitis can become a complication after vaccination.

Causes of brain inflammation

A person can experience brain inflammation at any age. According to medical statistics, inflammatory disease children and middle-aged men are more often affected. The development of this disease can be caused by a number of factors - from back and head injuries to certain types of infection.

Among the main reasons are:

severe hypothermia;
infectious diseases, including tick-borne encephalitis virus.

A secondary form of brain inflammation can occur for the following reasons:

chronic ENT diseases – sinusitis, sinusitis, frontal sinusitis;
severe form of pneumonia;
conjunctivitis;
chicken pox suffered in adulthood;
previously suffered meningitis or encephalitis, not completely cured.

As a rule, the inflammatory process develops as a result of various pathogens entering the brain tissue through the circulatory system.

The pathogen can enter through the air, digestive system, in contact with a sick person. An insect bite (tick bite, for example) that transmits tick-borne encephalitis is also dangerous.

Main symptoms

Symptoms indicating inflammation of the brain are quite varied. Signs of brain inflammation depend on the type of pathology, stage of the disease and localization of the source of inflammation. Most of the symptoms are the same for both meningitis and viral encephalitis.

Among the external visible first signs:

general weakness and constant malaise;
regular and prolonged attacks of severe headaches;
vomiting attacks; high body temperature and hallucinations;
pain in muscles and joints, cramps.

Manifestation neurological symptoms is expressed as follows:

stiffness in the joints and loss of coordination of movement;
change in consciousness;
violation of the swallowing process;
problems with articulation;
eye movement disorders.

The manifestation of symptoms in the mental sphere is expressed in the following:

increased anxiety;
the appearance of insomnia;
frequent mood changes;
the occurrence of hallucinations.

Mental disorders arise suddenly and manifest themselves in the form of delusions and psychoses. The patient may experience a psychomotor agitated state in which he behaves inappropriately and cannot independently control his actions.

In the case of a secondary type of pathology and the development of complications, the disease develops rapidly, and the symptoms manifest themselves much more strongly. In this case, the patient exhibits the following symptoms:

pain becomes stronger, almost unbearable for the patient;
intracranial pressure increases;
the complexion becomes darker;
there is acute sensitivity to bright light and smells;
appears on skin small rash and red spots;
sweating increases.

Similar symptoms can develop within a day, the patient experiences delirium and convulsions.

Diagnostics

Consult a doctor and undergo the necessary diagnostic examination should be done immediately after the first signs and unpleasant symptoms appear.

Diagnosis of the disease includes, first of all, medical checkup and studying the patient’s medical history and symptoms of the disease. Additional examination is required, which includes:

lab tests. An inflammatory process in the body will be indicated the following indicators: increase in the number of leukocytes, lymphocytes, increase in erythrocyte sedimentation rate, increase in the content of fibrinogen and C-reactive protein;
cerebrospinal fluid examination. The puncture is taken by puncturing the spinal canal in the lumbar region. With the disease, there is an increase in the number immune cells, protein, reduction
amount of glucose. In appearance, during the inflammatory process, the liquid is cloudy and yellowish;
MRI. The procedure helps to accurately determine the location of the source of inflammation.

In addition, it is worth noting that MRI can reveal a number of dangerous pathologies, such as at an early stage.

Treatment

When the first symptoms of a brain disease appear, you should contact ambulance, whose doctor must refer the patient to hospitalization and administer appropriate medications that will help temporarily reduce brain swelling.

The treatment course depends on the diagnostic results and the diagnosis made. Symptoms of brain inflammation may be similar to those of other diseases, as a result of which proper treatment is prescribed and begins much later.

The course of therapy includes following methods inflammation treatment:

etiotropic therapy - intended to eliminate the causes of the inflammatory process;
pathogenetic direction - application medicines, stopping processes that lead to damage to brain tissue;
Symptomatic therapy can reduce the manifestations of the disease.

The following drug therapy may be prescribed:

to combat pathogen infection are prescribed antibacterial drugs. As a rule, the course lasts at least 10 days, and the drug is administered as an injection;
if the disease is of viral origin, it is necessary to take antiviral medications;
taking antibiotics will be ineffective in case of a fungal disease. In this case, it is recommended to take antifungal drugs;
diuretics can be prescribed to relieve swelling;
in case of seizures, anticonvulsant medications are prescribed;
with increasing temperature and feverish antipyretics are prescribed.

The patient is recommended to be hospitalized in a specialized medical institution to ensure constant monitoring of breathing and work of cardio-vascular system. Under no circumstances should you self-medicate.

It is very important to start proper treatment on time and as quickly as possible; every minute counts, since the consequences of brain inflammation are serious. Incorrect treatment may worsen the situation and lead to death.

In children, the disease is more severe than in adults; their bodies are not yet strong enough to fight such a terrible pathology.

Treatment of brain inflammation depends on the patient’s condition, symptoms and course of the disease. In any case, treatment should be comprehensive and constant monitoring doctor

After the course of treatment has been completed and the patient’s condition has improved, the patient needs rehabilitation measures. This will help reduce the effects of damage to brain tissue. IN recovery period auxiliary rehabilitation measures: physical therapy classes, massage courses, physiotherapeutic procedures.

Possible complications

Inflammation of the brain in any of its manifestations is very dangerous disease, especially its secondary form, which can lead to serious consequences and complications. The following possible consequences may occur with cerebral edema:

hearing impairment;
vision problems and development of strabismus;
mental development disorder;
memory impairment;
the occurrence of epileptic seizures;
problems with coordination of movements;
cardiac dysfunction;
coma.

The main danger is death. If left untreated, the patient may die within a week. There is also a possibility of such an outcome if you seek medical help late.

Inflammation of the brain can occur in mild form, but there is still a risk of complications, so it is important to promptly pay attention to the appearance of symptoms and consult a doctor in a timely manner.

Prevention

To prevent brain inflammation in any manifestation, special vaccines have been developed that produce immunity against viruses.

It should be borne in mind that it is impossible to completely protect yourself from the development of an inflammatory process in the brain, but you can reduce the risk of getting sick. To do this you need:

adhere to a healthy lifestyle - give up bad habits, eat properly and nutritiously;
exercise;
to not allow chronic forms diseases – cure diseases in time and completely;
try to avoid going out into nature during times of likelihood of an outbreak of encephalitis and tick activity.

Finally

Despite the fact that the inflammatory process in the brain is considered a fairly rare pathology, unfortunately, it can affect anyone.

It should be borne in mind that with a weakened immune system, the likelihood of developing any disease increases. Watch your health and take care of yourself!

Inflammation of the membranes of the brain (Meningocephalitis) occurs in all types of animals; dogs and horses are more often affected. In animals, in most cases, meningitis is accompanied by simultaneous inflammation of the dura mater (Pachymeningitis), soft (Leptomeningitis) and arachnoid (Arachnoiditis) and is acute. The division of inflammation of the brain and its membranes is very arbitrary, since a widespread lesion usually develops with a predominant localization in one or another department - meningoencephalitis.

Etiology. The main cause of meningoencephalitis is infection. Highest value animals have viral encephalomyelitis caused by neurotropic viruses (,) or pantrotropic viruses (,). Meningoencephalitis in animals can develop due to bacterial infections( , And , ). Meningoencephalitis can develop as secondary disease with penetrating injuries of the skull, during the transition of the inflammatory process from nearby tissues ( frontal sinuses, middle ear, eyes, ethmoid bone), with osteomyelitis, surgical sepsis, endometritis, endocarditis and purulent-necrotic processes. Contributes to the occurrence of meningitis, bruises and concussions, allergic condition due to colds and intoxications, weakening of the general resistance of the body as a result of overheating, fatigue, long-term transportation of the animal and vitamin and mineral fasting.

Pathogenesis. For meningoencephalitis bacterial etiology the infectious agent enters the meninges and brain by lymphogenous or hematogenously, with cerebrospinal fluid from the subdural or subarachnoid spaces. Neurotropic viruses enter the central nervous system along nerve pathways. The multiplication of a pathogen that has entered the brain is accompanied by inflammation - dystrophic processes in the endothelium of capillaries, destructive processes in nerve cells. In most animals, the inflammatory process begins in the membranes of the brain and spreads to the brain substance. The main form of tissue reaction of the central nervous system during inflammation is arterial hyperemia with perivascular infiltration, limited to the mesenchyme around the vessels or extended to the surrounding parenchyma. As a result of malnutrition, dystrophic changes up to necrosis develop in nerve cells.

Hyperemia cerebral vessels, exudation, obstructed lymph outflow leads to increased intracranial pressure in the animal, disruption of brain function and the occurrence of cerebral phenomena. Depending on where the inflammatory process is localized, a sick animal will experience a variety of focal symptoms.

Clinical picture. Clinically, meningitis manifests itself extremely varied depending on the location of the inflammatory process and the degree of damage to the meninges.

In a typical case of acute meningitis, the disease begins with a rapid increase in the complex of symptoms of a disorder of the central nervous system ( meningeal syndrome): lethargy, depressed state, limited mobility of the eyeballs, “absent look” of the animal. The gait becomes unsteady; when walking, the sick animal raises its limbs high and stumbles. Reflexes slow down and disappear.

Then the animal experiences a fit of excitement, reaching the point of violence, during which the animal strives to free itself from the leash, rushes forward, rushes from side to side, makes manege movements, hits surrounding objects, looks around with concern, trembles, snorts, and moos. The animal's breathing becomes wheezing, drooling and convulsive muscle contractions appear. With convulsive contractions of the masticatory muscles, the flowing saliva becomes foam. Periods of excitement, which in an animal usually last several minutes and rarely up to an hour, are replaced by sharp depression: the sick animal is unable to stand on its feet, falls, and gets up with difficulty. Having risen from the floor, the sick animal stands indifferently, with its head bowed low.

At focal lesion the animal's brain begins to tremble eyeball(nystagmus), uneven expansion pupil (anisocoria), strabismus, convulsive contractions of the muscles of the lips, ears, turning into paralysis of the muscles of the face, eyelids, tongue and pharynx.

Periods of depression alternate with excitement until the animal reaches a comatose state.

The body temperature of sick animals is elevated and fluctuates during the course of the disease. During the period of excitement, the pulse and respiration rate of a sick animal increases, and during the period of depression it slows down. There is no chewing gum, we register rumen hypotension (rumen contractions are sharply weakened), intestinal motility is slow and weakened, abdominal walls tense during palpation.

Meningoencephalitis in animals occurs acutely (2-3 days), with the disease the animal may develop complications (aspiration and hypostatic pneumonia).

Rarely occurs in animals chronic course a disease in which general brain phenomena are less pronounced. Focal symptoms of meningoencephalitis in an animal are manifested by strabismus, blindness, deviation of the head to the side, convulsions and paresis.

Pathological changes. When autopsying dead animals, we note hyperemia and swelling of the membranes of the brain, sometimes with hemorrhages. The cerebral ventricles and subarachnoid space are filled with cerebrospinal fluid, with purulent meningitis found in the subdural and sudbarachnoid spaces purulent exudate. With purulent encephalitis, scattered abscesses of various sizes are found in the brain matter. In encephalitis caused by neurotropic viruses, changes in the form of non-purulent encephalitis of the lymphocytic type are localized mainly in the gray matter of the brain. At histological examination in the membranes of the brain, rejection of the endothelium of blood vessels and perivascular infiltrates of cells of the lymphoid or histiocytic type are found.

Forecast in most cases unfavorable. Recovered animals are left with paresis, paralysis or epileptiform convulsions.

Diagnosis diagnosed on the basis of anamnesis and characteristic clinical picture(disorder of the function of the cortex and subcortical centers). Found in the cerebrospinal fluid increased content protein with a predominance of the globulin fraction and a large number of cellular elements. For early and objective diagnosis of meningitis, the Friedman reaction is used: 0.05 ml (one drop) of a 1% solution of potassium permanganate is added to 1 ml of cerebrospinal fluid obtained during cervical puncture. With meningitis, the purple color of the cerebrospinal fluid turns into red or red-brown, and with purulent meningitis, adding 2-3 drops of a 20% trichloroacetic acid solution causes a precipitate to form.

Differential diagnosis. When conducting differential diagnosis First of all, it is necessary to exclude infectious diseases -,. From non-communicable diseases we exclude uremia, mycotoxicosis, acute form and sheep, and poisoning.

Treatment treatment of sick animals is ineffective and is justified only for valuable animals. The sick animal is isolated in spacious stalls with plenty of bedding. To prevent the possibility of injury, the walls are lined with straw mats. Owners of sick animals and staff should avoid noise and bright light. Drug treatment should be comprehensive, taking into account the specific etiological factor that caused the disease. For purulent meningoencephalitis, antibiotics are used, including modern cephalosporins. For non-purulent and viral meningoencephalitis, a course of treatment is carried out intravenous injections methenamine and glucose. To reduce intracranial pressure, atlantoepistrophic or suboccipital puncture is indicated. For severe symptoms of agitation, sedatives are prescribed: chloral hydrate (in enemas and intravenously), bromides, aminazine, medinal, veronal, seduxin.

In all cases, desensitizing agents are used (diphenhydramine, pipolfen, suprastin, calcium chloride).

To reduce intracranial pressure, diuretics (mannitol, furosemide, diacarb) are used.

To combat acidosis, a 4-5% solution of sodium bicarbonate is administered intravenously, 400-800 ml for large animals. In order to relieve detoxification of the body, hemodez and rheopolyglucin are administered intravenously or drip-wise.

For all forms of the disease, parenteral administration vitamin preparations: B1, B6, B12, ascorbic acid. If indicated - cardiac, if breathing is impaired - tsititon, lobeline. To improve the nutrition of nerve cells, small animals are given lecithin. To accelerate the resorption of inflammatory foci, iodine preparations are used: potassium or sodium iodide, bioquinol, sayodine.

Sick animals are fed crushed, preferably semi-liquid food, and water is not limited.

Prevention meningoencephalitis is based on timely and planned diagnostic studies(tuberculinization, etc.) and anti-epizootic preventive measures(vaccination, quarantine, etc.), radical treatment animals with different purulent processes, especially in the head area. Great importance prevention involves increasing the body's resistance, complete and balanced feeding, preventing vitamin and mineral starvation and eliminating factors that contribute to the onset of the disease (colds, overwork, etc.).