Encephalitis Essay, Research Paper

Encephalitis is a disorder associated to any disease affecting the central

nervous system causing inflammation of the brain. Due to the fact that the

disorder is so common in many hundreds of diseases it is hard to narrow the

disorder down. Many diseases can cause this disorder such as: meningitis,

epilepsy and many parasitic infections, which attack the brain tissue and

meninges, causing them to swell and push against the skull. Minor and serious

symptoms can occur ranging from headache, fever to comas and eventual

death. The treatment of the disease varies from vaccinations to bed rest.

Encephalitis can be either serious or minor with not many options of

treatment.

The best treatment for the disease is prevention, which is mostly

limited to vaccinations. With vaccinations there are two types of

immunization, which are Active and Passive immunization. The difference

between the two is that Active immunization is used to control a disease on a

long term basis, where Passive immunization is used to treat a disease quickly

but only lasts a few weeks. Passive immunization works immediately but does

not last where Active immunization takes about two weeks to work and lasts

many years. There are many vaccines to prevent Encephalitis and some of the

most common diseases in this topic are Measles, Mumps and Rubella,

Meningitis, Japanese Encephalitis and Mosquito and Tic Bourne Encephalitis.

Measles, Mumps and Rebella viruses are all associated with Encephalitis and

all can be prevented with the same vaccine. Commonly known as the Measles

vaccine it is administered by injection under the skin in the thigh or shoulder.

Side effects from the measles vaccine may include a rash that rapidly fades and

a high fever that occurs five to 12 days after the immunization and lasts one or

two days. Meningitis, another common Encephalitis causing virus also can be

prevented through Active or Passive immunization. Meningitis Passive

immunization vaccine will be given to patients directly in contact with disease

and Active immunization is given to potential recipients of the disease. Drug

treatment for the swelling of Encephalitis caused by the meningitis is used.

“Intravenous antibiotics are used but depend on age of patient and type of

bacteria that is causing meningitis”1. Side effects for taking vaccines for

Meningitis include high fever, headache and flu. Another form of Encephalitis

that was common in Japan is Japanese Encephalitis. In treatment and

prevention the JE vaccine is used and causes mild systemic side effects (fever,

headache, muscle aches) but can also cause more serious reactions including

“generalized urticaria (hives), anaphylaxis, and respiratory distress have

occurred within minutes to as long as two weeks after immunization”2. These

reactions can be effectively treated with medications. The last major virus,

which induces Encephalitis, is known as Mosquito/Tic Bourne Encephalitis.

This virus is contracted through mosquitoes and small parasitic bacteria and

has very limited treatment. Regular tetanus and antiviral vaccines are used in

defense of new bacteria in the human body. Regular Encephalitis care, such as

bed rest and antibiotics are used for treatment. Another form of prevention is

when scientists do figure out where the virus is contained, they immediately

start spraying down farms, where domestic animals are located because the

disease is passed from the animals to the mosquito and bacteria. Above were

regular procedures of prevention and treatment of the major diseases causing

Encephalitis, but the normal treatment for Encephalitis are: if a patient does

need specific treatment for the inflammation of the brain then only bed rest

and prescription drugs can be used to temporarily to control the pain. In

controlling pain and suffering many drugs are used “Anti-inflammatory drugs

are prescribed to reduce the swelling on the inner lining of the brain tissue and meninges” . Other methods of controlling pain are used such as: sleeping pills,anticonvulsant drugs and Tylenol 3. Control of high fevers and any other

medication for pain can be given. Lastly, complete hospitalization (bed-rest)

and doctor surveillance is needed to monitor brain swelling. As far as further

investigation on Encephalitis by scientists not much work is being done at the

present time but there are many University’s that are studying potential cures

through genetics but that is still far from being found.

If Encephalitis was a problem surrounding me and I was looking for

specific treatment to assist me, it would depend on the circumstances. First of

all if I had not yet contracted a disease that induces Encephalitis then I would

have a choice between Passive and Active immunization. If the disease was

reported to be in a different country then that would allow me to use Active

immunization. I would do this because it does not react for about two weeks,

which would be in sufficient time to defend against a virus coming into my

country and it would protect me for many years. If the circumstances were the

other way around and the disease was close to me then I would use Passive

immunization because it reacts quickly with my immune system and offers

quick defense against a fast moving close virus. Shortly after I received the

Passive immunization I would also receive the Active immunization so it

would be ready to work as soon as the Passive immunization ran out.

Basically with Encephalitis there are many different forms of viruses that each

have there own vaccines or protection. No matter what the side effect the

vaccine or other protection gave me I would have to take it because there are

really no other alternatives. I would rather experience nausea, headache and

fever from a vaccine, then contracting a disease and getting Encephalitis and

have a chance of dying, it just makes sense. If I did contract a disease, which

induces Encephalitis, I would simply follow the standard methods of pain

prevention.This would include hospitalization, antibiotics, anticonvulsant

medication and total doctor care.There are not many options so this would

have to be done. I hope for new developments in medical science, but that is

still far away.

In conclusion the choices of treatment for Encephalitis are very limited leaving prevention as the best method of treatment. Once the disease is

contracted and it induces Encephalitis then only medication can be taken to

help with pain until the disorder eventually is gone. Thus, from my perspective

makes prevention the actual treatment.

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