Neuroinfectious Disease Care

The Rush Approach to Neuroinfectious Disease Care

Neuroinfectious diseases occur when your body has an infection in your nervous system — your brain, spinal cord and nerves. The infection can be caused by a virus, bacteria or an unknown source.

This type of infection requires specialized care from a neurologist with expertise in neuroinfectious diseases. Rush neuroinfectious disease specialists provide comprehensive diagnosis and treatment for these diseases, including autoimmune encephalitis and progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy.

Rush neuroinfectious experts work with you to find which options work best for your needs — from immunomodulation therapy to alternative approaches like dietary supplements.

Rush Excellence in Neuroinfectious Disease Care

• Neuroinfectious diseases diagnosis: Rush neuroinfectious disease specialists are skilled at using a variety of tests to diagnose these diseases. This is key because the cause of your neuroinfectious symptoms can potentially point to a variety of conditions. And, the sooner you have a diagnosis, the sooner you can start receiving treatment to address these sometimes life-threatening conditions.
• HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder: Our specialists have experience treating HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND), formerly known as HIV dementia. Rush neuroinfectious disease specialists can help patients with HIV determine whether they have HAND or a different type of dementia — and connect them to the appropriate specialist for treatment.
• Autoimmune encephalitis treatment: Rush neuroinfectious disease specialists have expertise in all forms of encephalitis, including autoimmune encephalitis and NMDA encephalitis. For autoimmune encephalitis, they provide immunomodulation therapy (similar to chemotherapies used for multiple sclerosis) to calm down your immune system. This can help ease your symptoms.
• Collaboration across the Rush system: Because neuroinfectious diseases can be caused by other diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, cancer or HIV, our specialists work closely with other Rush specialists. Our providers collaborate to identify the best treatment approach for your specific needs.