All articles tagged with #brain infection
A central North Carolina teen is critically ill with primary amebic meningoencephalitis caused by Naegleria fowleri, a rare brain infection linked to warm freshwater. The illness progresses rapidly and is often fatal; the source is under investigation, and officials advise precautions such as nose clips and avoiding high-risk water activities to reduce risk.
A Spanish man with chronic headaches was initially thought to have deadly brain cancer after imaging, but a higher-resolution MRI found no tumors. The diagnosis was neurocysticercosis caused by Taenia solium eggs, i.e., pork tapeworm larvae in the brain, treated with antiparasitic drugs. The condition can cause seizures and raised intracranial pressure; infections affect millions worldwide and can occur even without travel history, with cases reported in Europe. Diagnosis and treatment are crucial to prevent serious complications.
Daniel Alexis, a 19-year-old Port St. Lucie High School basketball player, spent months in a coma after a sinus infection spread to his brain. He underwent three brain surgeries at UHealth, gradually improved, and on Thursday watched his Miami hospital graduation on a screen as his mother accepted his diploma in Port St. Lucie, with doctors optimistic about a continued recovery and ongoing rehabilitation.
Researchers at UVA Health found that the brain parasite Toxoplasma gondii can infect CD8+ T cells, but these immune cells use the enzyme caspase-8 to trigger a self-destruct mechanism that kills the infected cell and the parasite inside. In mice lacking caspase-8 in their T cells, brain parasite levels were higher and outcomes worse, indicating caspase-8 is crucial for limiting brain infection. With about a third of people believed to carry T. gondii, most cases are asymptomatic, though toxoplasmosis remains a risk for the immunocompromised. The study, published in Science Advances, enhances understanding of how the immune system controls the parasite and why T cells’ self-destruction can prevent brain persistence.
Scientists warn that free-living amoebas, notably Naegleria fowleri, may pose a growing global health threat as hotter waters expand their habitats. Infections are rare but almost always fatal and occur when contaminated water enters the nose, not by drinking. Amoebas survive in biofilms and cysts, complicating elimination and enabling them to shield other pathogens. Climate change worsens the risk by creating more warm freshwater where people swim or splash, while routine monitoring remains limited due to cost and technical challenges. Prevention hinges on robust water chlorination, flushing hot water systems, safer nasal rinsing, and public awareness while researchers seek better detection and integrated environmental–clinical responses.
Fifteen-year-old Aedan Jones, a Fort Lauderdale High School volleyball player, saw a routine sinus infection escalate into a brain infection, prompting emergency surgery on Christmas Eve and a long hospital course at Holtz Children’s Hospital with multiple surgeries, intensive care, antibiotics, and ongoing therapies as doctors study why such cases are rising in youths; his community has rallied with fundraising and support.
Researchers at UVA Health found that Toxoplasma gondii can infect CD8+ T cells in the brain. Caspase-8 triggers the infected cells to die, cutting off the parasite's life cycle. Mice lacking caspase-8 show higher brain parasite loads and worse outcomes, while normal mice clear the infection. The finding highlights a brain-specific immune defense and a potential target for treatment in at-risk individuals.
A 2022 mouse study suggests that nose-picking may increase the risk of Alzheimer's by allowing bacteria like Chlamydia pneumoniae to travel from the nose to the brain, potentially triggering Alzheimer's-like pathology, though human implications remain unconfirmed and further research is needed.
Scientists have discovered that disabling a specific protein, TgAP2X-7, in the parasite Toxoplasma gondii can effectively kill it by preventing invasion, replication, and survival, offering hope for safer treatments of toxoplasmosis, especially in immunocompromised patients.
A man infected with the deadly brain-eating amoeba Naegleria fowleri has died in Missouri, possibly linked to water activities at Lake of the Ozarks. The infection, extremely rare and not contagious between people, occurs when contaminated water enters the nose, traveling to the brain. Public health officials are investigating the source, and precautions such as avoiding submerging the head in warm freshwater are recommended to reduce risk.
A 2022 study suggests a possible link between nose-picking and increased risk of Alzheimer's, as bacteria like Chlamydia pneumoniae can travel from the nose to the brain in mice, potentially triggering Alzheimer's-like pathology. While human implications are not yet confirmed, the research highlights the importance of nasal tissue health and warrants further investigation into environmental factors in Alzheimer's development.
A 2022 study suggests a possible link between nose-picking and increased risk of Alzheimer's, as bacteria like Chlamydia pneumoniae can travel from the nose to the brain in mice, potentially triggering Alzheimer's-like pathology. While human implications are not yet confirmed, the research highlights the importance of nasal tissue health and warrants further investigation into environmental factors in Alzheimer's development.
A study suggests that Human Pegivirus (HPgV), previously considered harmless, may be linked to Parkinson's disease as it was found in the brains of patients with the disorder but not in healthy individuals, indicating a potential environmental factor influencing disease development.
A study suggests that the Human Pegivirus (HPgV), previously considered harmless, may be linked to Parkinson's disease, as it was found in the brains of patients but not in healthy individuals, indicating a potential environmental factor influencing the disease's development.
Nearly one-third of Americans are infected with Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite that silently alters brain function by disrupting neuron-astrocyte communication through changes in extracellular vesicles, potentially increasing risks for neurological disorders and offering new avenues for detection and treatment.