Meningitis And Encephalitis

Meningitis and Encephalitis are associated with high rates of mortality and neurological sequelae. The differential diagnosis includes a wide spectrum of infectious and non-infectious etiologies, some requiring urgent therapy for survival. The current management challenges in patients with meningitis and encephalitis include a low sensitivity of meningeal signs, overutilization of unnecessary screening cranial imaging, delays in diagnosis of urgent treatable causes, a large proportion of unknown etiologies, low sensitivity of current microbiological techniques especially in the setting of previous antibiotic therapy, underutilization of available molecular diagnostic tests, and empiric antibiotic therapy and hospitalization for viral meningitis cases. Even though there are published guidelines, compliance with them is not optimal and physicians do not follow standardized algorithms in their empirical approach. As meningitis and encephalitis is associated with high rates of adverse clinical outcomes, prevention, when feasible is of upmost importance. Adherence to protocols to prevent health-care associated meningitis and ventriculitis are effective but compliance with them is not uniformly performed. This book seeks to improve outcomes for meningitis and encephalitis cases handled by physicians who may or may not be thoroughly trained for these challenges. The text introduces the current guidelines but also discusses the gaps that leave clinicians struggling to implement the most appropriate approaches for these particular neurological infections. Each chapter delivers the tools necessary to identify and adhere to the most appropriate diagnostic technique, management protocols, and prevention approach for each situation. All chapters conclude with discourse on future directions in research and quality improvement. Written by experts in infectious diseases, the book covers topics that are the most devastating, including healthcare-acquired infections, autoimmune encephalitis, and infections as they present in HIV patients. Meningitis and Encephalitis is a well-rounded resource for all medical professionals encountering these neurological syndromes, including infectious disease specialists, neurologists, primary care physicians, and immunologists.

The second edition of a succinct and portable text reviewing the clinical approach to emergency medicine and critical care.

This book offers valuable guidance to neurointensivists, other neurocritical care staff, and those desiring to develop a neurocritical care unit via a thorough discussion of neurological emergencies and neurocritical care unit organization. This comprehensive volume begins with a review of acute neurological emergencies as managed clinically in the neurocritical care unit. Topics include acute cerebrovascular, neurological, and neurosurgical disorders. The unique aspect of this book is its description of the organization of the neurocritical care unit. We focus on how other services in the hospital interact with and assist neurocritical care operations, telemedicine/telestroke, and neurocritical care personnel and their roles. A review of expected outcomes of neurocritical care conditions is also included. Neurointensivists, neurocritical care unit staff leadership, hospital administrators, and those interested in developing a neurocritical care unit will find Neurointensive Care Unit: Clinical Practice and Organization to be an invaluable guide.

Now in paperback, the second edition of the Oxford Textbook of Critical Care is a comprehensive multi-disciplinary text covering all aspects of adult intensive care management. Uniquely this text takes a problem-orientated approach providing a key resource for daily clinical issues in the intensive care unit. The text is organized into short topics allowing readers to rapidly access authoritative information on specific clinical problems. Each topic refers to basic physiological principles and provides up-to-date treatment advice supported by references to the most vital literature. Where international differences exist in clinical practice, authors cover alternative views. Key messages summarise each topic in order to aid quick review and decision making. Edited and written by an international group of recognized experts from many disciplines, the second edition of the Oxford Textbook of Critical Careprovides an up-to-date reference that is relevant for intensive care units and emergency departments globally. This volume is the definitive text for all health care providers, including physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, and other allied health professionals who take care of critically ill patients.

"This clinical reference on central nervous system infections is now in its thoroughly revised, updated Fourth edition. Over 70 leading experts provide comprehensive, current information on all infections--both neural-specific and systemic--that involve the central nervous system. Areas with significant new clinical information include treatment of tuberculosis, non-tubercular mycobacterial infections, brain abscess, and Lyme disease"--Provided by publisher.

The book provides detailed information on all major neuroemergencies, and includes a detailed checklist for practical care during the first hour of an emergency. Reinforcing the concept of quality care for better outcomes in patients with neurological diseases, the book discusses approaches to comatose patients, neurological evaluation, neuropharmacology, neuroradiology, traumatic brain and spine injury, and various other neurological disorders. The field of neuroanesthesiology and neurocritical care has expanded with the advent of newer, complex surgeries, and neurocritical care is becoming an established subspecialty of neuroscience. Neurological emergencies require special care since prevention of secondary damage to the brain is of paramount importance. A valuable resource for intensivists, neurointensivists, emergency medicine physicians, neurology and neurosurgeons and nursing professionals involved in neurocare, this book also serves as study material for participants of the two-day course on “Acute Neuro Care” designed by the Indian Society of Neuroanesthesiology and Critical Care (ISNACC).

This book provides clinicians and their staff with essential information on the vaccines that are recommended and not recommended for their patients, the diseases these vaccines prevent, and a broad range of potential vaccine safety issues that may be brought up by their patients. Each topic, from specific vaccines to safety concerns, is covered succinctly, based upon systematic reviews of the scientific literature, with talking points to be used with patients. The organization of the information makes it easy to reference specific topics and quickly find pertinent information, with the most practical details (such as recommendations and causality conclusions) highlighted at the very beginning of the respective sections. There are also sections outlining the vaccine safety system and evidence-based strategies for how to talk with patients about vaccines. This book aims to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of clinical vaccine discussions with patients, leading to more informed patients and timely vaccination. This is an ideal resource for all clinicians administering vaccines and their healthcare teams.