![]() ![]() ![]() Fourteen were diagnosed with sinus infections and four had mastoiditis, an infection of the large bone behind the ear that's usually caused by middle ear infections. But in 2022, there were 18 cases, with 16 occurring in the second to fourth quarters of the year-after the mask mandate lifted.Īmong the 18 kids with brain abscesses in 2022, their median age was 12 and all but four were male. Throughout 20, the county's median number of quarterly pediatric brain abscess cases was 1.5. In the second study, CDC investigators and experts in Nevada linked a surge of pediatric brain abscesses in Clark County, which encompasses Las Vegas, specifically to when the state's mask mandate lifted, which was February 10, 2022. Brain abscesses "are often preceded by viral respiratory infection and sinusitis, and recent trends might be driven by concurrent, heightened pediatric respiratory pathogen transmission," they wrote. It's unclear what caused the surge, but the study authors note that it seems linked to surges in respiratory infections that followed eased pandemic restrictions. So far this year, cases have declined from the December peak, but in the latest data from March, they were still above the monthly baseline maximum. In December 2022, cases hit a high peak of 102, surpassing the baseline monthly maximum of 61 cases. Those baseline levels were monthly median levels (34 cases per month) calculated using case counts from 20, with data pooled from 37 hospitals in 19 states and the District of Columbia.īut after May 2021, when pandemic restrictions were easing and respiratory infections began surging, cases of pediatric brain abscesses began rising, too, with cases above the baseline between August 2021 to March 2023. According to one of the studies published today-led by researchers at the CDC and independent researchers in Kansas, Utah, and Ohio-the onset of the pandemic in March 2020 led to below-baseline levels of pediatric brain abscesses between May 2020 to May 2021. It seems that rare pediatric brain abscesses have followed a similar pattern. But in 2020, RSV circulation hit historic lows, and as pandemic responses began to lift in 2021, RSV transmission picked back up in the spring, leading to an unexpected high, wide wave over the summer. It usually spreads in the fall and winter-like many other seasonal respiratory pathogens. Take the common RSV (Respiratory syncytial (sin-SISH-uhl) virus), for example. Influenza virtually disappeared in 20, for instance.īut then restrictions eased, life inched back to a new normal, masks came off, and familiar germs made roaring comebacks, causing unusually high waves of infection, some at unusual times in the year. Unprecedented disturbances to normal life, social distancing, heightened hygiene measures, masking, and improved ventilation led to severe disruptions in normal infectious disease cycles during 20. The wave of cases is another example of wonky disease patterns in the wake of responses to the COVID-19 crisis. If not treated promptly, the pockets of pus in and around the brain can lead to rapid deterioration and permanent brain damage, causing severe neurological complications, such as seizures and difficulty with movement, speech, and cognition. ![]() There are some things you can do to help manage your symptoms.CDC MMWR | Accorsi et al.Brain abscesses can start in several ways, including from an infected head wound, meningitis, and congenital heart disease, but also more common conditions, such as sinus and ear infections. It's a common part of long COVID.Īnxiety, low mood and fatigue all play a role in affecting how your brain functions. It's not just people who were hospitalised with coronavirus who can develop brain fog. Speak to your GP if you're worried about your symptoms. While recovering from coronavirus (COVID-19), some people experience brain fog symptoms for a short time while others may experience brain fog for several months or longer. Brain fog is also common if you have depression, anxiety or stress. You may get similar symptoms after other infections, a minor head injury or during the menopause. ![]() It's not the same as dementia and does not mean structural damage to the brain. Brain fog is not a medical term but used to describe a range of symptoms including:īrain fog can feel similar to the effects of sleep deprivation or stress. ![]()
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