Infections and the Brain

The brain is well protected against most infections but ones that get in cause serious problems. What effect do they have and what can we do to prevent them?

A lecture by Chris Whitty CB, Gresham Professor of Physic 21 November 2018

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The brain is well protected against most infections, but once they get into or around the brain they can cause fatal or serious long-term consequences. Some bacterial, viral and parasitic infections are particularly well adapted to the brain, ranging from meningococcal meningitis and encephalitis to cerebral malaria and sleeping sickness.

Transmission is by several routes including airborne and via mosquitoes and ticks. Control measures including vaccination have reduced the risk of some, but not all, of these very serious infections. This lecture will cover how infections get into the brain, what their effect is and what we can do to prevent and treat them.

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