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Does Herpes Affect Brain Functions?
Question: Hi
Wanted to know the virus HSV1 INFECTION to brain takes how much time to be detected and what are the reasons for HSV to infect brain?
Wanted to know the virus HSV1 INFECTION to brain takes how much time to be detected and what are the reasons for HSV to infect brain?
Brief Answer:
HSV can be detected as early as 24 hours after the symptoms onset.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for being on healthcaremagic.com.
I am Dr.Ajay Panwar,a neurologist, here to answer your query.
Polymerase chain reaction can detect HSV in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) as soon as 24 hours post the symptoms onset. HSV encephalitis is a commonly suspected diagnosis if a patient presents with the symptoms of febrile encephalopathy and seizure along with fever is a common presentation of the same.
Pathogenesis is not clearly known of the disease. It has a high risk of occurrence in alcoholics and other immunosuppressed states.
Hope that helps.If you have any further questions,I shall be glad to have you in follow-up.
Regards
Dr.Ajay Panwar,
MD,DM(Neurology)
HSV can be detected as early as 24 hours after the symptoms onset.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for being on healthcaremagic.com.
I am Dr.Ajay Panwar,a neurologist, here to answer your query.
Polymerase chain reaction can detect HSV in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) as soon as 24 hours post the symptoms onset. HSV encephalitis is a commonly suspected diagnosis if a patient presents with the symptoms of febrile encephalopathy and seizure along with fever is a common presentation of the same.
Pathogenesis is not clearly known of the disease. It has a high risk of occurrence in alcoholics and other immunosuppressed states.
Hope that helps.If you have any further questions,I shall be glad to have you in follow-up.
Regards
Dr.Ajay Panwar,
MD,DM(Neurology)
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
47 yr male
fever from past 4 days. doctor has prescribed CALPOL for fever along with AMLO for high BP.
Also Montek LC had been given by the doctor. fever continues to persist from past 4 days along with loose motion and vomitting. Fever 103 / 104. Tests done for dengue and chicken Guinea came negative.
As fever was not coming down, also patient complained for panic attack, we have been asked by doctor to get cardiac evaluation done to rule out LVH. Before we go to hospital for cardiac evaluation, patient had seizures ..We admitted the patient to hospital where doctors suspect herpes encephalitis (thru CSF)
My query is 1) How this fever has resulted in encephalitis and what are the tests in which encephalitis can be detected as our general physician has not prescribed any test other then cardiac evaluation.
2) Any initial blood test to identify the herpes encephalitis other than CSF.
3)Also in how many days the herpes encephalitis can be detected (symptoms to appear) and within what time medical help should be provided.
fever from past 4 days. doctor has prescribed CALPOL for fever along with AMLO for high BP.
Also Montek LC had been given by the doctor. fever continues to persist from past 4 days along with loose motion and vomitting. Fever 103 / 104. Tests done for dengue and chicken Guinea came negative.
As fever was not coming down, also patient complained for panic attack, we have been asked by doctor to get cardiac evaluation done to rule out LVH. Before we go to hospital for cardiac evaluation, patient had seizures ..We admitted the patient to hospital where doctors suspect herpes encephalitis (thru CSF)
My query is 1) How this fever has resulted in encephalitis and what are the tests in which encephalitis can be detected as our general physician has not prescribed any test other then cardiac evaluation.
2) Any initial blood test to identify the herpes encephalitis other than CSF.
3)Also in how many days the herpes encephalitis can be detected (symptoms to appear) and within what time medical help should be provided.
Brief Answer:
MRI Brain should be done initially.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for being in follow-up.
MRI brain should be the initial investigation to go for if HSV encephalitis is suspected. MRI may show typical changes in brain. Blood tests will not be that helpful.HSV encephalitis often show MRI changes.If MRI comes normal, other causes can be looked for and if the suspicion is still high for encephalitis, CSF should be inspected. As I said, within 24 hrs of symptoms, it can be detected with PCR.Empirical treatment should be started at the first suspicion.
Hope that helps.If you have further questions,I shall be glad to have you in follow-up.
Regards
Dr.Ajay Panwar,
MD,DM(Neurology)
MRI Brain should be done initially.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for being in follow-up.
MRI brain should be the initial investigation to go for if HSV encephalitis is suspected. MRI may show typical changes in brain. Blood tests will not be that helpful.HSV encephalitis often show MRI changes.If MRI comes normal, other causes can be looked for and if the suspicion is still high for encephalitis, CSF should be inspected. As I said, within 24 hrs of symptoms, it can be detected with PCR.Empirical treatment should be started at the first suspicion.
Hope that helps.If you have further questions,I shall be glad to have you in follow-up.
Regards
Dr.Ajay Panwar,
MD,DM(Neurology)
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Nagamani Ng
Patient is not responding much to external stimulations. Does giving IV IMMUNOGLOBULIN will be of any help to increase the conditions, as there is not much response from patient.
Brief Answer:
It may be of help if autoimmune encephalitis is suspected.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for being in follow-up.
IV Immunoglobulin can be given if autoimmune encephalitis is the suspected diagnosis.Practically, it can be given in the type of clinical scenario which you have mentioned.
Hope that helps.If you have any further questions,I shall be glad to have you in follow-up.
Regards
Dr.Ajay Panwar,
MD,DM(Neurology)
It may be of help if autoimmune encephalitis is suspected.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for being in follow-up.
IV Immunoglobulin can be given if autoimmune encephalitis is the suspected diagnosis.Practically, it can be given in the type of clinical scenario which you have mentioned.
Hope that helps.If you have any further questions,I shall be glad to have you in follow-up.
Regards
Dr.Ajay Panwar,
MD,DM(Neurology)
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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