Neurological Complications of Infectious Diseases

Book excerpt: This book offers a comprehensive review of the most common infectious diseases that affect the nervous system. Written by international experts, it provides a guide to clinicians for accurately diagnosing and treating these challenging syndromes. Organized into six sections, the book presents didactic, up-to-date information on the following topics relating to central nervous system (CNS) infections: diagnosis and evaluation of the patient, bacterial, viral, fungal and mycobacterial infections, disorders of the spinal cord, and a myriad of miscellaneous infections. Chapters specifically reflect and look to resolve the common obstacles clinicians face in the field, such as having unknown etiologies on the majority of CNS infections, insensitive and slow microbiological techniques, an increasing number of immunosuppressed individuals with atypical presentations and pathogens, and a lack of standardized diagnostic algorithms. A complex yet accessible addition to the Current Clinical Neurology Series, Neurological Complications of Infectious Diseases invaluably examines a wide range of infections that have neurological complications and sequelae.