Stroke and central nervous system infections.

Stroke is the first cause of disability in adults worldwide. Central nervous system infections as a cause of stroke are not uncommon. The common central nervous system infections associated with stroke can be categorised into viral, bacterial, parasitic and of fungal origin. In HIV infection, central nervous system involvement is a major reason for hospitalisation and morbidity. Varicella-zoster virus encephalitis is uncommon and neurological features are protean. Japanese encephalitis is the most common cause of endemic encephalitis in humans. Viral haemorrhagic diseases are common in the tropics with epidemic outbreak. Central nervous system tuberculosis is the most severe form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Neurocysticercosis is the commonest parasitic disease affecting the central nervous system. Central malaria is the most important parasitic disease of humans with high prevalence in many regions of world including India. Neurological involvement in leptospirosis can be meningitis, aseptic encephalitis, inflammatory myelopathy and radiculopathy. Fungal infections involve central nervous system through cryptococcus, aspergillosis, histoplasmosis and mucormycoses.