Abstract |
Some acute microbial infections can have long-lasting symptoms. Byproducts of the infection can cross the bloodbrain- barrier causing psychological manifestations. Depending on the original diagnosis, these manifestations can either be treated as such, misdiagnosed as another disorder with similar symptoms, or completely disregarded. Two well-known and widely accepted infections known to cause mental status changes are Toxoplasmosis and Syphilis. Two lesser known and not very widely accepted disorders that are said to cause altered mental statuses are Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS) and Lyme disease. My goal in this presentation is to uncover the similarities and differences between these four diseases and explain why two are accepted by the CDC and healthcare workers as causing mental status changes, while the other two are ignored. To accomplish this goal, I will present evidence in the form of primary scientific literature searches, interviews with healthcare professionals on both sides of the issue, and visual representations.
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