Final answer:
West Nile virus Encephalitis can cause inflammation and swelling in the brain, potentially leading to damage due to the confined space within the skull. It is a form of arboviral encephalitis, which includes diseases transmitted by insects, and can lead to severe symptoms, including neurological damage.
Step-by-step explanation:
West Nile virus Encephalitis (WNE) primarily affects the brain by causing inflammation, known as encephalitis. This condition can lead to swelling within the brain, which, due to the confined space within the skull, may result in the brain pushing against the skull.
This pressure can cause damage to brain tissues, potentially leading to serious health consequences, including death. Arboviral encephalitis, which includes diseases such as eastern equine encephalitis, western equine encephalitis, St.
Louis encephalitis, and West Nile encephalitis, is caused by insect-borne viruses. In cases of severe WNV infection, patients may develop encephalitis or meningitis, with a significant mortality rate observed in those with neurological disease.
The areas of the brain affected by WNV encephalitis can vary from patient to patient and are not always specifically mentioned in imaging or documentation. However, conditions like meningitis and encephalitis are known to generally affect brain tissue and surrounding structures, causing a range of neurological symptoms, including headache, fever, confusion, seizures, and more.