3.1 Meningitis, Encephalitis

Question 1

meningitis

Answer 1

inflammation of the meninges

Question 2

s/s meningitis

Answer 2

• stiff neck
• achy
• feverish
• malaise
• diffuse headache

Question 3

Why would someone with meningitis have a headache?

Answer 3

everything is inflamed

Question 4

causes of meningitis

Answer 4

• bacteria
• virus
• fungal

Question 5

worst type of meningitis

Answer 5

bacterial

Question 6

viral meningitis

Answer 6

• typically caused by enterovirus
• usu virus runs its course and they get better
• don’t see too many with viral infections in the hospital

Question 7

Where could fungal meningitis come from?

Answer 7

• moist environments
• dirt
• animal feces, esp bird droppings

Question 8

What is a major issue with treating meningitis?

Answer 8

getting through the blood brain barrier

Question 9

long term problems after meningitis?

Answer 9

scarring of the meninges

• get blockages (intermittent or permanent) preventing flow of CSF
• pt may need a shunt if it’s bad enough

Question 10

What do blockages preventing the flow of CSF cause?

Answer 10

• pressure on the brain

- neuro changes, dizziness, vomiting, etc.

Question 11

VP shunt

Answer 11

ventriculoperitineal

Question 12

What do you need to pay attn to if a pt has a VP shunt?

Answer 12

headaches and other changes they had before (can become clogged or kinked) due to CSF buildup

Question 13

purpose of spinal tap

Answer 13

drain some fluid to see what it

Question 14

ICP

Answer 14

intracranial pressure

Question 15

causes of encephalitis

Answer 15

• virus
• bacterial
• fungal

Question 16

most common cause of encephalitis

Answer 16

viral

Question 17

Why is it better to have meningitis over encephalitis?

Answer 17

typically doesn’t cause as many neurological issues

Question 18

What is encephalitis?

Answer 18

inflammatory response inside the brain

Question 19

Why is encephalitis such a bad thing?

Answer 19

nowhere for the brain to go within the cranial vault

Question 20

s/s of encephalitis

Answer 20

• headaches
• bad sensitivity to light
• fever, achy, malaise
• more neuro symptoms because the entire brain is having issues
• quick decline in status
• anything the brain controls could cause s/s

Question 21

What things may be affected when an encephalitis pt begins to decline quickly?

Answer 21

• confusion
• seizures
• nausea/vomiting
• vision
• hearing
• motor control
• sensory

*go to stupor/coma quickly

Question 22

scarring and encephalitis

Answer 22

• same problems as with meningitis

- now, the ventricles can scar and more widespread

Question 23

What are encephalitis pts treated with?

Answer 23

tons of steroids that can make it through the BBB

Question 24

What happens if swelling gets really bad, brain swells into the foramen magnum?

Answer 24

uncal herniation

*worst case scenario

Question 25

recovery from an uncal herniation

Answer 25

• can get it to unherniate and they can recover

- usually hard to keep them alive due to damage

Question 26

Where can meningitis/encephalitis come from? (environment)

Answer 26

can get from pools that aren’t properly maintained

Question 27

What can result from pushing the brain against the skull?

Answer 27

• diffuse axonal injury
• skull isn’t smooth on the inside
• when the brain hits the skull, these projections may damage important things (or may not)

Question 28

diagnostic tool to see if the brain is still working?

Answer 28

EEG: electroencephalogram