Causes
This is the most common cause of viral meningitis.
What are enteroviruses?
These are the layers above and below the subarachnoid space that help protect the brain and form supporting framework for arteries, veins, and venous sinuses.
What are Meninges?
These are the classic triad of presenting symptoms in meningitis.
What are headache, fever, and nuchal rigidity?
This test is the gold standard for definitive diagnosis of meningitis
What is lumbar puncture?
_________ meningitis is considered a medical emergency and requires immediate intervention.
What is Bacterial meningitis?
This causes the most serious form of meningitis.
What is bacteria?
This separates the arachnoid and pia mater.
What is subarachnoid space?
These are the non-blanching, cutaneous signs of meningitis.
What are petechiae, purpura, or erythematous macular rash?
This test is done if there is suspected increased intracranial pressure or altered mental status.
what is a head CT?
This should be initiated after cultures are obtained until a definitive organism is identified.
What is empirical broad spectrum antibiotics?
This is one of the most common bacteria that cause meningitis in Neonates
What is Group B strep, E. Coli, or Listeria monocytogenes?
If a patient presents with encephalitis or altered mental status, this area of the brain is involved.
What is brain parenchyma?
Symptoms of this may present with altered mental state or seizures.
What is Meningoencephalitis?
Approximately 80% of patients with bacterial meningitis will have a positive __________.
What is blood culture?
This should be given prior to antibiotic therapy in children with suspected Hib meningitis.
What is dexamethasone?
This is the most common source of bacteria in neonatal meningitis.
What is the maternal genital tract?
Progressive infection and inflammation of the leptomeninges leads to impaired delivery of ________ to the brain tissue.
What are metabolic substrates (O2 and glucose)?
Symptoms of the Cushing Triad.
What are hypertension, bradycardia, and abnormal respirations?
____________ can be used to look for specific viral causes of meningitis such as HIV, enteroviruses, or HSV.
What is CSF polymerase chain reaction?
This therapy should be initiated if HSV is the suspected pathogen.
What is antiviral therapy (acyclovir)?
This is one of the routes for CNS invasion of pathogens
What is hematogenous dissemination, direct implantation, or local extension?
This is the mechanism of viral penetration into the CNS
What is crossing the blood-brain barrier directly at the capillary endothelial level?
When a patient has involuntary flexion of the knees and hips after passive flexion of the neck
what is Brudzinski sign?
We can expect to see these changes in CSF with bacterial meningitis. (name at least 3)
What is increase in WBC, increase in Protein, decrease in Glucose, increase in pressure, and increase in lactate?
HSV meningitis may present with these changes.
What are changes in cortical function including ataxia, focal neurologic signs, and acute encephalopathy?