Bacterial CNS and STDs Flashcards
What 2 bacterial CNS infections are most prominent in Children (1mo - 15y)
Neisseria meningitidis (25-40%) Haemophilus influenzae (40-60%)
Structure of Neisseria meningitidis
Gram negative diplococci - Lipooligosaccharide (LOS instead of LPS)
Polysaccharide capsule
Possesses pili
Porins A and B
How does Neisseria Meningitidis take up iron?
Host transferrin
N. Meningitidis pathogenisis
- Attach to non ciliated columnar epithelia cells of nasopharynx via pili
- Internalized into phagocytic vacuoles
- Replication occurs and transcytosis to subepithelial spaces
- Polysaccharide capsule is major virulence determinant - blocks phagocytic destruction
- LOS induces vascular damage, inflammation, thrombosis
N. Meningitidis carriage
Asymptomatic and usually transient - highest for school-age children and young adults
When is N. Meningitidis most common?
During the dry, cold months of the year
Meningitis Belt
Major epidemics on an 8-12 year cycle in Sub Saharan Africa
Occurs during the dry season
Most N. Meningitidis epidemic are associated with which serogroup?
Serogroup A
N. Meningitidis
Acute bacterial meningitis:
Infants:
Older Children/Adults:
Acute bacterial meningitis: Abrupt onset of chills, fever, severe headache, meningeal inflammation
Infants: irritability, refusal to take food, seizures, disturbed motor tone, coma
Older Children/Adults: altered mental status, severe headache
Petechiae:
Purpura:
Petechiae: Minute hemorrhagic spots in the skin
Purpura: Hemorrhagic spots
N. Meningitidis - Laboratory Diagnosis
- Gram stain of CSF
- Blood culture
- Oxidase positive, gram negative diplococci
- Biochemical tests
N. Meningitidis treatment - vaccination
- Serogroup tetravalent vaccine specific for A, C, Y and W135
- Tetravalent vaccine - conjugate diptheria toxoid
N. Meningitidis drug treatment
Cefotaxime
Ceftriaxone
Penicillin G
Why is Group B meningitidis hard to treat?
K1 capsular polysaccharide in E. Coli is identical to group B antigen - hard to make selective vaccine
4CMenB
4 components of the serogroup B bacterium
Which Meningitis serogroup is most often associated with infections in infants and children?
Serogroup B
Neisseria gonorrhea - structure
Gram negative diplococci, oxidase positive
Does not posses a polysaccharide capsule
Possesses pili