Meningitis

• Meninges
  1. Layers
     • dura
     • arachnoid
     • pia
  2. Purpose
     • protect CNS

• Meningitis
  1. acute inflammation of meninges
  2. Causes
     1. virus
     2. bacteria

• microorganisms

1. drugs

1. Symptoms
   1. headache
   2. neck stiffness 70%

• sudden fever

1. confusion
2. AMS
3. photophobia

1. Diagnosis
   1. lumbar puncture
      • low glucose
      • WBC
      • protein
   2. Complications
      1. brain swelling and herniation
      2. Sepsis and SIRS

• seizures

1. Treatment
   1. antibiotics
   2. antivirals

• corticosteroids

1. Prevention
   1. Some types of bacterial meningitis are preventable with immunization
   2. generally enters blood stream via nasal cavity
2. Mortality
   1. 303,000 deaths 2013
   2. Untreated = bacterial fatal

• viral = resolves on its own

1. 19-37%

MNEMONICS

Meningeal symptoms

ICP Increase

Septic symptoms (

fever, tachy)

Spinal fluid Changes

Kerning Symptom (stiff hamstrings)

Knee Bending

Brudinskis Sign (bend head knees flex)

Bend the neck

Back is rigid

Both legs flex at the hip

Meningitis Complications

ABCDE CROSS

Ataxia – lack coordinated movement

Blindness

Cranial Nerve

Palsies – eye movement affected

Deafness

Epilepsy

Cerebral herniation

Repeated episodes

Optic nerve atrophy

Stroke – block blood vessels

Spastic paraparesis – rigid lower extremities