“COMMUNICABLE

DISEASES IN CENTRAL
NERVOUS SYSTEM
(CNS)”
ANATOMY OF CNS
FUNCTIONS OF CNS
* BRAIN
-is the most complex organ in the human body.
-the central control module of the body and coordinates activity. From physical motion to the
secretion of hormones, the creation of memories, and the sensation of emotion.

•The brain is roughly split into four lobes:

Temporal Lobe
- important for processing sensory input and assigning it emotional meaning and it is also
involved in laying down long-term memories. Some aspects of language perception are also
housed here.

Occipital Lobe
- visual processing region of the brain, housing the visual cortex.
Parietal Lobe
-the parietal lobe integrates sensory information including touch, spatial
awareness, and navigation. Touch stimulation from the skin is ultimately sent to
the parietal lobe and it also plays a part in language processing.

Frontal Lobe
- positioned at the front of the brain, the frontal lobe contains the majority of
dopamine-sensitive neurons and is involved in attention, reward, short-term
memory, motivation, and planning.

Brain regions:
Basal ganglia
- involved in the control of voluntary motor movements, procedural learning, and
decisions about which motor activities to carry out.

Cerebellum
- mostly involved in precise motor control, but also in language and attention. If
the cerebellum is damaged, the primary symptom is disrupted motor control,
known as ataxia.
Broca’s Area
- this small area on the left side of the brain (sometimes on the right in left-handed
individuals) is important in language processing. When damaged, an individual
finds it difficult to speak but can still understand speech.

Corpus Callosum
-a broad band of nerve fibers that join the left and right hemispheres. It is the
largest white matter structure in the brain and allows the two hemispheres to
communicate. 

Medulla Oblongata
- extending below the skull, it is involved in involuntary functions, such as vomiting,
breathing, sneezing, and maintaining the correct blood pressure.

Hypothalamus
- sitting just above the brain stem and roughly the size of an almond, the
hypothalamus secretes a number of neurohormones and influences body
temperature control, thirst, and hunger.
Thalamus
- positioned in the center of the brain, the thalamus receives sensory and motor
input and relays it to the rest of the cerebral cortex. It is involved in the regulation of
consciousness, sleep, awareness, and alertness.

Amygdala
-two almond-shaped nuclei deep within the temporal lobe. They are involved in
decision-making, memory, and emotional responses; particularly negative emotions.

* Spinal Cord
-running almost the full length of the back, carries information between the brain
and body, but also carries out other tasks.
- it is contain circuits that control certain reflexive responses, such as the involuntary
movement your arm might make if your finger was to touch a flame.
• Communicable Disease – A disease that is
spread from one living thing to another or
through the environment.
• Pathogen – An organism that causes disease.
• Infection – A condition that occurs when
pathogens enter the body, multiply and damage
body cells.
BOTULISM
CLOSTRIDIUM BOTULINUM
NURSING MANAGEMENT
RED TIDE POISONING
DEFINITION
Red Tides 
- are harmful since they cause harm to the
environment, living organisms and to humans.
Some cause mass mortality of fish or fish kills and
some produce potent toxins that are of public
significance.
- is sometimes referred to as a harmful algae bloom
(HAB). It’s made up of microscopic algae or
phytoplankton, which are essential to ocean life.
CAUSES
- caused by algal blooms during which algae become so
numerous that they discolor coastal waters (hence the
name "red tide"). The algal bloom may also deplete
oxygen in the waters and/or release toxins that
may cause illness in humans and other animals.
-  caused by the bacteria dinoflagellate
Gonyaulax are serious because this organism
produces saxitoxin and gonyautoxins which
accumulate in shellfish and if ingested may lead to
paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) and can lead to
death.
SIGN AND SYPMTOMS
• Ingesting toxic seafood
• Paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) is a syndrome that people
can develop if they eat seafood contaminated by a red tide.
• PSP can be life threatening and often shows itself within 2 hours
of consumption. Symptoms include:

NEUROLOGICAL
• Tingling sensation or paralysis of hands and feet
• Body weakness
• Sense of numbness around the mouth or the face
• dizziness
• Rapid pulse beat
Cont’d...
• Difficulty of talking,swallowing and breathing
• Headache

GASTROINTESTINAL
• Abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea
PATHOGENESIS
• Saxitoxin is the most well known of the PSP associated
toxins. It is a heat stable neurotoxin. In mice, the
saxitoxin LD50 parentally is 3-10 ug/kg body weight
and orally is 263 ug/kg body weight (death within
minutes of respiratory failure). Humans are the most
sensitive to saxitoxin; the oral dose in humans for
death is 1 to 4 mg (5,000 to 20,000 mouse units)
depending upon the ge and physical condition of the
patient. It is rapidly absorbed through the gastro-
intestinal tract and excreted in the urine.
Cont’d....
• Saxitoxin inhibits the temporary permeability of Na+ ions by binding tightly
to a receptor site on the outside surface of the membrane very close to the
external orifice of the sodium channel. In fact, neurophysiologic studies
using saxitoxin as a probe helped to show that Na+ and K+ act
independently with separate membrane channels. It is a blocking agent that
reduces the number of conducting Na+ channels by occupying some site
near the outer opening in a 1:1 high affinity specific receptor binding. This
prevents sodium ions from passing through the membranes of nerve cells,
thus interfering with the transmission of signals along the nerves. The
resulting widespread blockade prevents impulse-generation in peripheral
nerves and skeletal muscles. Saxitoxin has a direct effect on skeletal muscle
by blocking the muscle action potential without depolarizing cells; it
abolishes peripheral nerve conduction but with no curare-like action at the
neuromuscular junction.
LABORATORY DIAGNOSIS
• The mouse bioassay (time to death) of food
extract is the recommended diagnostic method,
(Sommer & Meyer 1937, Association of Official
Analytical Chemists 1980) but it cannot
distinguish between tetrodotoxin and other PSP
toxins.
Cont’d...
• Radioimmunoassay and indirect enzyme-
linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA)
have been developed for saxitoxin but not all
PSP toxins (Carlson et al, 1984). High-
performance liquid chromatography or
HPLC analysis method for all the PSP toxins
has been developed with good correlation with
mouse bioassay in terms of quantification
(Sullivan et al, 1983, Halstead 1988).
TREATMENT
• There’s no known antidote for conditions
caused by red tide, such as PSP. Severe
cases may be treated with the use of life
support systems, such as a mechanical
respirator and oxygen until the toxin fully
passes through your system.
NURSING MANAGEMENT OR PREVENTION
• Avoid entering bodies of water that have a distinct
foul odor, appear discolored, or have foam, scum,
or algal mats (sheet-like accumulations of blue-
green algae) on the surface.
• Follow local or state guidance about the safety of
the water.
• Check environmental or state websites for local
beach or lake closures before visiting.
• Do not drink directly from lakes, rivers, or ponds.
Cont’d...
• Do not fish, swim, boat, or participate in water
sports in areas experiencing a red tide.
• Rinse off pets with clean water after they’ve been
in the pond, lake, or ocean. Do not allow them to
lick their fur until they’ve been rinsed.
• Follow local guidance when consuming
harvested fish or shellfish.
• Avoid eating large reef fish.