Dr. Joanne N. Engel MD

Caused by bacteria and viruses, meningitis is an inflammation (swelling) of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord known as the meninges. The inflammation is usually caused by an infection of the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord. It can develop as a result of injury,...

Borrelia burgdorferi is a gram-negative bacterium, which is the causative organism of Lyme disease. It is most commonly found in North America and Europe. Lyme disease is a zoonotic vector-borne disease. A zoonotic disease is a disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans and...

Lyme disease is caused by ticks where the bacteria enter the body through its bite. It takes about three to four days for the tick to settle in the body. The initial symptom of the bite is a rash. As the bacteria moves deeper into the system, the symptoms that can be experienced are muscle pain,...

What is encephalitis?Encephalitis means inflammation of the brain. Fever, headache, and joint pain are often experienced in the early stages of encephalitis. Other severe symptoms may develop over some days or hours. They include personality changes, seizures, disorientation, confusion, or...

The novel coronavirus, COVID-19, belongs to a large family of viruses that can cause potentially fatal respiratory complications. In humans, this is known to cause respiratory infections that can range from the common cold to more severe symptoms. We initially thought that COVID-19 only affected the...

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection caused by a spirochete known as Borrelia burgdorferi. It is a spiral-shaped bacterium that replicates within the body with the ability to evade the immune system, causing Lyme disease. Lyme disease is more commonly seen during the spring and summer seasons. The...