Bacterial meningitis

Question 1

Presentation of Bacterial Meningitis…

Answer 1

Fever, headache, rash, seizures and vomiting

Question 2

What are the audiological features of bacterial meningitis?

Answer 2

Bilateral or unilateral loss.
Mild to profound.
In loss of 60+ there is OHC amplification loss but also sensory transduction form IHC’s, synapses or auditory nerve fibres.
Results in auditory distortion, HA’s not enough to restor speech discrimination

Question 3

What is serous BM?

Answer 3

Serous BM affects hearing by the inflammation of the peripheral hearing mechanisms sensory cells caused by cytokines produced by the immune system. By products of antimicrobial therapies can also damage sensory cells.

Question 4

What is serous BM?

Answer 4

Serous BM affects damages the h peripheral hearing mechanisms due to the inflammation caused by cytokines produced by the immune system.
By products of antimicrobial therapies can also damage sensory cells.
This type more likely to regain hearing.

Question 5

What is Suppurative BM?

Answer 5

Suppurative caused by bacteria, direct spread of meningeal inflammation through blood brain barrier to the sub arachnoid space via cochlea aqueduct. Leads to destruction of sensory structures including auditory nerve and no recovery of hearing.

Question 6

Common pathogens of BM

Answer 6

Pneumococcus and meningococcus

Question 7

How does it get into the body?

Answer 7

Enters the blood stream via Nasopharyngeal infection, mastoiditis, otitis media

Question 8

Affects the

Answer 8

Arachnoid, sub arachnoid spaces and CSF

Question 9

Gets into the cochlea how..

Answer 9

via the cochlea aquaduct and its connection with the scala tympani. Basal turn of cochlea responsible for HF often worst affected.