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What Is The Difference Between Meningitis And Encephalitis?
Question: what is the difference between meningitis and encephalitis and how a person got infection with it,what is the treatment.Written all details on query.
Hello,
Meningitis is infection/inflammation of meninges. Meninges are membranous covering of brain and spinal cord.
Encephalitis is focal infection/inflammation of brain parenchyma itself.
Common cause of this infections is either viral, bacterial, tuberculosis , rarely fungal or even inflammatory.
There is no significant difference in treatment of these two conditions.
Depending on cause treatment for this is anti-viral, antibiotics, anti tuberculosis and anti-inflammatory medications.
Generally tests advised for diagnosis are MRI brain, CSF studies, CSF culture and organism specific tests.Only MRI might not help to confirm the diagnosis or know the causative organism.
Also, every single patient with meningitis may not have all the symptoms of meningitis.
Hope this answers your question. Please ask if there are doubts.
Regards.
Meningitis is infection/inflammation of meninges. Meninges are membranous covering of brain and spinal cord.
Encephalitis is focal infection/inflammation of brain parenchyma itself.
Common cause of this infections is either viral, bacterial, tuberculosis , rarely fungal or even inflammatory.
There is no significant difference in treatment of these two conditions.
Depending on cause treatment for this is anti-viral, antibiotics, anti tuberculosis and anti-inflammatory medications.
Generally tests advised for diagnosis are MRI brain, CSF studies, CSF culture and organism specific tests.Only MRI might not help to confirm the diagnosis or know the causative organism.
Also, every single patient with meningitis may not have all the symptoms of meningitis.
Hope this answers your question. Please ask if there are doubts.
Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Aparna Kohli
Answered by
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