Definition Tularemia is an infectious zoonosis caused by Francisella tularensis , which is an aerobic, pleomorphic, gram-negative bacillus. Many animal species harbor this organism, most prominently rabbits, squirrels, and muskrats. Humans acquire the infection by various means, including direct contact…
Encephalitis is inflammation of the brain parenchyma. Typical signs and symptoms include fever, headache, and altered mental status. Patients often will have associated meningeal inflammation (i.e., meningoencephalitis ) . For the purposes of this chapter, the terms encephalitis and meningoencephalitis…
Central nervous system (CNS) infections represent life-threatening conditions that require emergent evaluation and frequently treatment in a critical care unit. These infections may be challenging to identify, as numerous noninfectious conditions mimic CNS infections. Even when an infectious syndrome is…