scholarly journals Progress in the treatment of fungal infections of the central nervous system

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 61-65
Author(s):  
Xuemei Li ◽  
Xiaoxia Li

Abstract The incidence of fungal infections of the central nervous system (CNS) has gradually increased in recent years. Intracranial fungal infection can be classified as diffuse and focal infections. The clinical manifestations of these infections include fever and cranial pressure caused by meningitis or meningoencephalitis, as well as focal neurological defects caused by lesions in the intracranial space. Diagnosing fungal infections of the CNS requires comprehensive analysis of the patient’s medical history, epidemiology, underlying disease, clinical manifestation, imaging manifestations, and results from various laboratory tests. The identification of fungal bodies or structures in brain tissue or cerebrospinal fluid specimens is the golden standard of diagnosis. The principles for the treatment of fungal infections of the CNS are the effective control of pathogenic risk factors, use of effective antifungal drugs, and the active implementation of surgical intervention for fungal abscesses and granulomas. In the meantime, new diagnoses and treatments should be actively explored to improve the prognosis of patients.

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. e123-e133 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew W McCarthy ◽  
Darius Kalasauskas ◽  
Vidmantas Petraitis ◽  
Ruta Petraitiene ◽  
Thomas J Walsh

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. 355-360
Author(s):  
V.I. Snisar ◽  
O.S. Pavlysh

One of the complications of the postoperative period in children is postanesthetic agitation, a significant emotional and uncontrollable worry, clouding of consciousness, feeling of anxiety and fear, inappropriate behavior, irritability, inconso­lable crying, aggressive and negative attitude towards parents and medical staff. Postoperative agitation is very important for clinicians and hospitals, it has a risk of harming a patient, staying longer in the ward after anesthesia, and increasing the period of postoperative recovery. The frequency of postoperative agitation depends on age group. Most often agitation occurs in young children. There is evidence that agitation can also be due to the immature nervous system and a consequence of pathological conditions of the central nervous system (asthenoneurotic syndrome, encephalopathy, hyperactivity syndrome, perinatal posthypoxic and organic brain lesions, history of prematurity, epilepsy, psychophysical and speech delay, etc.). That is why the goal of our research was to study the patterns of clinical manifestations of postoperative agitation syndrome in children with prenatal da­mage to the central nervous system. The work was performed based on the analysis of the postoperative period in 109 young children: 59 patients with acquired hydrocephalus, who underwent ventriculoperitoneal shunting, and 50 children without neurological disorders in whom reconstructive surge­ries were carried out. Depending on the type anesthetic management, each group was divided into two subgroups: children, who received inhalation anesthesia with sevoflurane, and those, who received total intravenous anesthesia using propofol. In the postoperative period, the behavior of children was assessed on a Pediatric Ane­sthesia Emergence Delirium scale 30 minutes after anesthesia was completed. Criterion for the development of agitation was the presence of excitement in a child with a score of ≥ 10 points. Study showed that young children with perinatal damage to the central nervous system and children whose anesthetic provision is carried out using sevoflurane are the most vulnerable to the development of agitation syndrome. Agitation in such children is more pronounced and longer. These cases require prediction, detection and active surveillance.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monica Goldberg-Murow ◽  
Carlos Cedillo-Peláez ◽  
Luz Elena Concha-del-Río ◽  
Rashel Cheja-Kalb ◽  
María José Salgar-Henao ◽  
...  

Toxoplasma gondii infection can trigger autoreactivity by different mechanisms. In the case of ocular toxoplasmosis, disruption of the blood-retinal barrier may cause exposure of confined retinal antigens such as recoverin. Besides, cross-reactivity can be induced by molecular mimicry of parasite antigens like HSP70, which shares 76% identity with the human ortholog. Autoreactivity can be a determining factor of clinical manifestations in the eye and in the central nervous system. We performed a prospective observational study to determine the presence of autoantibodies against recoverin and HSP70 by indirect ELISA in the serum of 65 patients with ocular, neuro-ophthalmic and congenital cerebral toxoplasmosis. We found systemic autoantibodies against recoverin and HSP70 in 33.8% and 15.6% of individuals, respectively. The presence of autoantibodies in cases of OT may be related to the severity of clinical manifestations, while in cases with CNS involvement they may have a protective role. Unexpectedly, anti-recoverin antibodies were found in patients with cerebral involvement, without ocular toxoplasmosis; therefore, we analyzed and proved cross-reactivity between recoverin and a brain antigen, hippocalcin, so the immunological phenomenon occurring in one immune-privileged organ (e.g. the central nervous system) could affect the environment of another (egg. the eye).


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marina Barrionuevo Mathias ◽  
Fernando Gatti ◽  
Gustavo Bruniera ◽  
Vitor Paes ◽  
Gisele Sampaio Silva ◽  
...  

Context Primary angiitis of the central nervous system (PACNS) is characterized by the inflammation of small and medium CNS arteries; the clinical manifestations include headache, cognitive impairment and focal neurological deficits. The gold standard test for diagnosis is brain biopsy. Neurobrucellosis is an infection associated with cattle farming, which leads to neurological and psychiatric symptoms. We report a case of neurobrucellosis mimicking PACNS. Case report Male, 32 years old, with fever, headache, dizziness and cognitive impairments for 30 days. History of stroke 2 years before, with mild sequelae right hemiparesis; investigation showed suspected intracranial dissection. On physical examination, he had apathy, preserved strength, reduced reflexes with plantar flexor responses. General laboratory tests, autoantibodies and serology were normal. Brain MRI showed deep left nucleocapsular gliosis and cerebral angiography revealed stenosis of the ICA and MCA. CSF showed 42 cells/ mm³, glucose 46 mg/dL, protein 82 mg/dL. Blood PCR was negative for Brucella. Immunophenotyping of the CSF and PET-CT excluded neoplasia. Brain biopsy was inconclusive for vasculitis. Metagenomic analysis of the CSF detected 78% of Brucella genetic material. Serum agglutination test was 1:40 for brucella. Conclusions PACNS is diagnosed by exclusion. The patient filled criteria for possible PACNS, image compatible with vascular stenosis, but inconclusive brain biopsy. Brucellosis is an endemic disease in underdeveloped countries that can present as CNS vasculitis. Metagenomic analysis allows the detection of different pathogens using a single method. The case illustrates the use of metagenomics in rare diseases characterized by vasculitis, with change in clinical outcomes and conduct.


Author(s):  
Haroldo C. de Oliveira ◽  
Rafael F. Castelli ◽  
Diogo Kuczera ◽  
Taiane N. Souza ◽  
Caroline M. Marcos ◽  
...  

1995 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 137-143
Author(s):  
C.L.P. Lancellotti ◽  
C.E.P. Corbett ◽  
M.I.S. Duarte

Histopathological and ultrastructural studies of 23 patients who died with clinical diagnosis of measles were carried out. In 12 cases viral nucleocapsids were searched by electron microscopy and detected in 100% of the cases in the lungs and in 50% of the cases in the central nervous system. They were mostly intranuclear. Histopathological changes associated to neurological alterations and the detection of virion are discussed in relation to acute and delayed clinical manifestations.


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