Meningococcal Meningitis
Definition
Meningococcal meningitis is a serious bacterial infection of the meninges, the protective membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. It is caused by the Neisseria meningitidis bacterium and can lead to severe complications, such as brain damage, hearing loss, or even death if not treated promptly.
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Infectious Diseases
Yale Infectious Diseases cares for ambulatory and hospitalized patients with every variety of infectious disease. Specialized services are offered in such areas as traveler’s health, tick-borne diseases, HIV, and related disorders. Research explores such areas as Lyme disease, West Nile and Zika virus, microbial pathogenesis, pneumonia and UTI in older adults, HIV, meningitis, malaria and international health, and nosocomial infections. We are both consultants, working hand-in-hand with referring physicians or groups, and principal caregivers for our patients. Our care is multidisciplinary, involving skilled nurses, dietitians, social workers, and other physicians to deliver the best care possible. Specialized care is offered in the following areas: Hospital-acquired infection control and management Central nervous system infections Fungal infections Hospital epidemiology Traveler's medicine/international health HIV/AIDS Care Lyme disease and tick-borne illnesses Expertise in treating infections in solid organ and stem cell transplants Comprehensive AIDS care and prevention services for people living with and at risk for HIV Multiple observational studies and clinical trial expertise in the study of HIV, HCV, immunology of aging, pneumonia, pseudomonas, tuberculosis (including MDR), urinary tract infections, and tick- and mosquito-borne diseasesPediatric Infectious Diseases
Our internationally recognized team of clinicians focuses on treating a wide array of viral, bacterial, and parasitic infections. Through our outpatient clinical services, we diagnose and treat infectious diseases in children from throughout New England and the Mid-Atlantic states. In addition to HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and Lyme disease, our doctors are experts in: Acquired and congenital infections in newborns Infections in immunocompromised patients Fungal infections Respiratory tract infections Tropical medicine and parasitologyMultiple Sclerosis & Other Inflammatory Brain Disease
At the Yale Multiple Sclerosis Center, patients may receive all of their care in one easy-to-access location. Our team provides comprehensive care to patients at a state-of-the-art facility in North Haven featuring advanced MRI scanners, a clinical laboratory, and dedicated infusion center. Our expert neurologists collaborate with experienced nurses, therapists, and social workers to care for patients at all stages of disease. In addition to patients with multiple sclerosis, we treat patients with neuromyelitis optica, transverse myelitis, optic neuritis, and other neuroimmune disorders. MS Access is a program designed to expedite the diagnosis and treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). For patients with multiple sclerosis, we believe an accurate, timely diagnosis and early treatment are crucial to a patient's overall well-being. We also understand that a potential diagnosis of MS can be overwhelming, and a long wait to see a specialist can cause needless anxiety and frustration. We developed MS Access to address these issues. The physicians at the Yale Multiple Sclerosis Center will expedite initial visits for individuals about whom another doctor (e.g. primary care doctor, general neurologist, or ophthalmologist) is concerned regarding a new diagnosis of MS or optic neuritis. We will work to see these patients urgently, arrange for any necessary diagnostic imaging or lab work, and address treatment options early. To take advantage of this program, referring physicians can call our MS Clinic in North Haven, CT, at 203-287-6100 and let staff know that the referral is for MS Access. Patients who have been recently diagnosed with MS or who suspect that they might have it can ask their physician to refer them to the Yale Multiple Sclerosis Center.