| acute epidemic leukoencephalitis | A disease characterised by acute onset of fever, followed by convulsions, delirium, and coma, and associated with perivascular demyelination and haemorrhagic foci in the central nervous system. Synonym: acute primary haemorrhagic meningoencephalitis, Strumpell's disease. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| acute haemorrhagic leukoencephalitis | A fulminating demyelinating disorder of the central nervous system that affects mainly children and young adults. Almost always preceded by a respiratory infection, characterised by the abrupt onset of fever, headache, confusion, and nuchal rigidity, soon followed by focal seizures, hemiplegia, or quadriplegia, brainstem findings, and coma; the CSF shows evidence of an inflammatory process; due to the massive destruction of the white matter of one or both hemispheres, often accompanied by similar destruction of the white matter of the brainstem and cerebellar peduncles; of unknown aetiology. Synonym: acute haemorrhagic leukoencephalitis, acute necrotizing haemorrhagic leukoencephalitis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acute necrotizing haemorrhagic leukoencephalitis | A fulminating demyelinating disorder of the central nervous system that affects mainly children and young adults. Almost always preceded by a respiratory infection, characterised by the abrupt onset of fever, headache, confusion, and nuchal rigidity, soon followed by focal seizures, hemiplegia, or quadriplegia, brainstem findings, and coma; the CSF shows evidence of an inflammatory process; due to the massive destruction of the white matter of one or both hemispheres, often accompanied by similar destruction of the white matter of the brainstem and cerebellar peduncles; of unknown aetiology. Synonym: acute haemorrhagic leukoencephalitis, acute necrotizing haemorrhagic leukoencephalitis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| leukoencephalitis, acute haemorrhagic | A rare, fatal postinfection or allergic demyelinating disease of the central nervous system having a fulminating course and occurring mainly in young adults. It is characterised by destruction of white matter to the point of liquefaction; widespread necrosis of blood vessel walls leading to the formation of multiple small haemorrhages in the involved areas and the exudation of fibrin into the surrounding tissue; and cellular infiltration of the necrotic areas. (12 Dec 1998) |
| hemorrhagic | <haematology> Relating to bleeding and haemorrhage. (09 Oct 1997) |
| sclerosing leukoencephalitis | <neurology> Chronic progressive illness seen in children a few years after measles infection and involving demyelination of the cerebral cortex. Virus apparently persists in brain cells: usually considered a slow virus disease. (18 Nov 1997) |
| subacute sclerosing leukoencephalitis | <neurology> Chronic progressive illness seen in children a few years after measles infection and involving demyelination of the cerebral cortex. Virus apparently persists in brain cells: usually considered a slow virus disease. (18 Nov 1997) |
| leukoencephalitis | Encephalitis restricted to the white matter. (05 Mar 2000) |
| abdomen, acute | Clinical syndrome characterised by abdominal pain of great severity associated with other symptoms and signs, usually those of acute peritonitis, which might well be the result of a ruptured abdominal viscus or a similar abdominal catastrophe requiring urgent surgical operation. (12 Dec 1998) |
| acute | 1. Sharp, poignant. 2. Having a short and relatively severe course. Origin: L. Acutus = sharp (18 Nov 1997) |
| acute abdomen | Any serious acute intra-abdominal condition (such as appendicitis) attended by pain, tenderness, and muscular rigidity, and for which emergency surgery must be considered. Synonym: surgical abdomen. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acute abscess | A recently formed abscess with little or no fibrosis in the wall of the cavity. Synonym: hot abscess. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acute adrenal crisis | <endocrinology> An abrupt life-threatening state which is caused by insufficient production of cortisol by the adrenal gland. A typical finding in Addison's disease. Individuals who have been taking corticosteroids (glucocorticoids) for a prolonged period of time (weeks to months) are at risk for acute adrenal crisis if the medication is stopped abruptly. For this reason, corticosteroid medication are withdrawn slowly on a diminishing dosing schedule. Symptoms include low blood pressure (shock), weakness, headache, vomiting, fever chills, tachycardia and sweating. Treatment includes blood pressure support and intravenous hydrocortisone. (27 Sep 1997) |
| acute adrenocortical insufficiency | Severe adrenocortical insufficiency when an intercurrent illness or trauma causes an increased demand for adrenocortical hormones in a patient with adrenal insufficiency due to disease or use of relatively large amounts of similar hormones as therapy; characterised by nausea, vomiting, hypotension, and frequently hyperthemia, hyponatraemia, hyperkalaemia, and hypoglycaemia; can be fatal if untreated. Synonym: addisonian crisis, adrenal crisis, Bernard-Sergent syndrome. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acute African sleeping sickness | A disease of humans caused by Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense in eastern Africa from Ethiopia and Uganda south to Zimbabwe; it is clinically similar to Gambian trypanosomiasis but of shorter duration and more acute in form; patients suffer repeated episodes of pyrexia, become anaemic, and die commonly from cardiac failure. Synonym: acute African sleeping sickness, acute trypanosomiasis, East African sleeping sickness, East African trypanosomiasis. (05 Mar 2000) |