HIV and AIDS: Symptoms, Causes, Treatments, and More
Signs And Symptoms Of Encephalitis
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Medically reviewed by Nicholas R. Metrus, MDMedically reviewed by Nicholas R. Metrus, MD
Encephalitis is inflammation, irritation, and swelling of the brain typically caused by a bacterial or viral infection. Less commonly, encephalitis can occur due to an overactive immune system that mistakenly attacks healthy brain cells. It's a rare condition that usually affects young children, older adults, and immunocompromised people (e.G., those who live with HIV or are undergoing cancer treatment).
People who develop encephalitis may experience symptoms like fever, fatigue, and headaches. Symptoms start mildly but progress quickly, flaring up one to two weeks after the initial infection. Encephalitis symptoms vary from person to person and will depend on the severity of inflammation in your brain. In severe cases, symptoms can progress enough to cause life-threatening complications, so seeking care for your symptoms is essential.
Common SymptomsBecause encephalitis results from an infection, its common symptoms are very similar to those of a flu or a cold. This makes the early diagnosis of encephalitis difficult, and sometimes cases can go undiagnosed. Several thousand cases are reported yearly, but research suggests that the number is higher due to undiagnosed cases.
The timeline for encephalitis symptoms varies. Mild cases are short and can last one or two weeks. The first two weeks of infection are the acute phase of the disease when symptoms are at their peak. Severe cases can last several months and may take even longer to recover from.
During the early stages of encephalitis, it's common to experience the following symptoms:
As the infection progresses, symptoms can also fluctuate, meaning that you sometimes feel better while other symptoms worsen.
Neurologic SymptomsWhen you experience encephalitis, your brain and spinal cord become inflamed, which can cause several neurologic (brain-related) symptoms. This infection affects the normal function of your neurons (brain cells), causing symptoms such as:
Memory difficulty
Involuntary movements or seizures
Clumsiness or difficulty with balance
Difficulty speaking
Impaired vision, double vision, or vision loss
Body stiffness, rigidity, and tremors
Loss of sensation in some parts of the body
Because of how encephalitis affects the brain, it's not uncommon for people with the infection to experience changes in their psychological well-being. As a result, you may experience:
Symptoms by SexEncephalitis can affect people assigned male or female at birth equally. Infections cause most cases of encephalitis. However, autoimmune encephalitis (which causes infection due to an overactive immune system) does have some differences based on sex, which affects which subtype of autoimmune encephalitis you might develop.
People assigned female at birth are more likely to be affected by NMDA receptor encephalitis. NMDA is a protein on the surface of neurons that controls communication between brain cells. Males are more likely to experience CASPR2 encephalitis. CASPR2 is a protein involved in communicating with brain cells and antibodies. However, more research is being done to establish sex and gender differences in encephalitis development.
Symptoms in ChildrenEncephalitis can affect children with a viral infection. A herpes infection usually causes cases of encephalitis in infants and newborns. It's often harder to spot encephalitis symptoms in children because warning signs can look similar to other infections. These symptoms include:
A bulge in the soft spot on the top of their head
Severe and sudden vomiting
Poor feeding
Body stiffness
Crying that gets worse when the child is picked up
If you suspect your child may be at risk for encephalitis, it's important to seek care from their pediatrician immediately, as the infection can be more severe in young children.
Is Encephalitis Contagious?While encephalitis is an infection, the condition itself is not contagious. However, the viral and bacterial infections (e.G., herpes, West Nile, etc.) that can cause encephalitis are contagious. These infections can spread through:
Contact with an infected person's saliva
Breathing in droplets from a person with an infection
Contaminated foods or drinks
Kissing, sharing utensils, using the same toothbrush with a person who has an infection
Parasites acquired via mosquitos, ticks, or other insects
Washing your hands regularly, cooking your meats all the way, drinking clean water, getting vaccinated, and avoiding contact with people with an active infection can help reduce your risk of developing an infection that can later cause encephalitis.
When to Contact a Healthcare ProviderEncephalitis's symptoms progress rapidly a week or two after the initial infection, and seeking care for this condition is essential, even if symptoms feel mild at first. Encephalitis can progress quickly and increase the risk of complications, so seeing a healthcare provider as soon as possible is important.
Some symptoms warrant more immediate medical attention. You should visit your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following symptoms:
Loss of consciousness
Muscle weakness and paralysis
Seizures
Severe headaches
Poor responsiveness
A rapid change in your cognitive functions, including memory loss and impaired judgment
If you seek care for your condition, it can help to have some questions prepared for your provider. Consider asking them the following questions:
Could my fatigue and headaches be due to another infection?
How long can I expect these symptoms to last?
Will I need to undergo any testing for a proper diagnosis?
What treatments can help my symptoms get better?
What happens if my symptoms don't improve even after treatment?
Encephalitis causes infection and inflammation in the brain, usually due to an underlying bacterial or viral infection. Common symptoms of this condition can include fatigue, fever, and headaches. However, encephalitis can also affect your brain functions and psychological well-being.
Encephalitis can often be hard to diagnose because symptoms in the early stages can mimic signs of other illnesses. However, if you have symptoms, even if they're mild, contacting your healthcare provider is essential so you can reduce the risk of severe complications and receive proper treatment.
Frequently Asked QuestionsHow long does encephalitis last?
The timeline for encephalitis varies. Mild cases are short and can last 1-2 weeks, but severe cases can last a few months.
What is the survival rate for encephalitis?
Research estimates that 10% of people with a severe case of encephalitis succumb to their condition. Therefore, the survival rate of encephalitis is about 90%.
Can COVID cause encephalitis?
According to the National Institutes of Health, a COVID-19 infection can cause encephalitis-like symptoms. This can occur due to the virus entering the brain, inflammation, or an immune response to the infection.
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Is There A Link Between HIV And TB?
A person with HIV may be more at risk of developing tuberculosis (TB). This is due to the weakening of the immune system that occurs in someone who has HIV.
Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial infection that can spread through the air. TB typically affects the lungs, but it can spread to other parts of the body.
HIV is a virus that can spread from person to person through bodily fluids, causing a weakening of the immune system. A weakened immune system may increase the risk of TB infection.
Read on to learn about the link between HIV and TB. This article also looks at symptoms of TB, when an individual with HIV should get a TB test, TB treatments for someone with HIV, and more.
A person can contract TB when they inhale the TB bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The TB bacteria can then settle in the lungs. It may spread to other parts of the body, including the spine, kidneys, and brain.
When an individual has HIV, the immune system becomes weaker. This can make the body less able to fight off infections and bacteria such as TB.
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), TB is an opportunistic infection (OI). This means that it is more common and more severe in people with weakened immune systems.
Therefore, a person with HIV may be more likely to develop TB and have more severe symptoms than a someone without HIV.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), an individual with HIV may be 20 times more likely to develop TB. The WHO also reports that TB is the leading cause of death in people with HIV worldwide.
Medications for TB in a person with HIV is typically the same as when someone does not have HIV.
However, there may be factors a healthcare professional has to consider when prescribing TB medication to a person with HIV, as it is possible the two treatments can interact and cause further issues.
TB treatment may also require adjustment depending on whether an individual has already started HIV treatment or has developed any resistance to medications.
The type of medication and the duration of treatment can depend on whether a person has latent TB or active TB, as well as whether they experience medication resistance.
Examples of medications for HIV include:
Treatment can last for a number of months, but this will depend on the specific drugs a doctor recommends. An individual's doctor can provide them with more accurate information about what they can expect from treatment.
As HIV causes a weakened immune system, a person with HIV may be around 20 times more likely to catch TB. TB is also the leading cause of death in people with HIV.
TB symptoms may be more severe in an individual with HIV. Examples of symptoms include a persistent cough, coughing up blood, breathlessness, fever, fatigue, chest pain, and loss of appetite.
Someone with HIV should receive regular testing and screening for TB. If they have latent TB infection or active TB, a doctor will recommend medications. Treatment usually lasts a number of months.
Perimenopausal Women With HIV Experience Worse COVID-19 Symptoms
Out of the three stages of menopause, perimenopausal women living with HIV experience the worst COVID-19 symptoms, possibly due to increased inflammation.
menopause © Bovart - stock.Adobe.Com
Women living with HIV experience the worst COVID-19 symptoms during perimenopause, when compared with premenopause and postmenopause, the results of a recent survey show. This may be due to an increased state of inflammation caused by a combination of HIV, COVID-19 and menopause.
To come to this conclusion, a team of researchers led by Emily M. Cherenack, Ph.D., a post-doctoral associate at the University of Miami, used survey data from 2020 to 2022 from the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study and Women's Interagency HIV Study to identify 880 women living with HIV and categorized them by menopause state and compared COVID-19 test results and symptoms.
Out of 880 women, 16% (138) were premenopausal, 8% (59) perimenopausal and 78% (683) postmenopausal. Although only 9% (78) tested positive for COVID-19, over half (59%) of perimenopausal women experienced hot flashes during COVID-19 while 33% of premenopausal women and 43% postmenopausal women reported hot flashes. The same can be said about night sweats, which are nocturnal hot flashes. Almost half (44%) of perimenopausal women with COVID-19 reported night sweats, while 28% of premenopausal women and 31% of postmenopausal women said they had night sweats during COVID-19.
Other symptoms, such as fatigue, were also more present in perimenopausal women with COVID-19 (83%) when compared with premenopausal and postmenopausal women combined (45%). Perimenopausal women also experienced more sore throats (61% vs 25%), aches (78% vs 43%) and smell loss (67% vs 25%).
COVID-19 infections and menopause stage (premenopause, perimenopause and postmenopause) were both self- reported.
Perimenopause typically begins for women in their early to mid 40's. It is often the most symptomatic stage of menopause, marked by irregular periods, brain fog and hot flashes.
Previous limited research suggests that women living with HIV may also experience menopause sooner and have more severe menopause symptoms.
"Despite the potential health impacts of these co-occurring conditions and the possibility of some overlapping symptoms, little is known about the associations between menopause and COVID-19 among women living with HIV," Cherenack and her team write. "Research is needed to explore if hormonal and behavioral changes in menopause are associated with immune responses to infectious disease among women living with HIV."
The full details of this study will be presented at the 2024 Annual Meeting of the Menopause Society held September 10 – 14.
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