Chapter 26 Nervous System Infections

Question 1

Meningitis

Answer 1

• Inflammation of the meninges
• Membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord
• Caused by bacteria or viruses

Question 2

Encephalitis

Answer 2

• Inflammation of the brain

- Mostly caused by viruses

Question 3

Bacterial Meningitis

Answer 3

• Signs and Symptoms: Fever, severe headache, stiff neck, Nausea, vomiting, confusion, coma

Question 4

Pneumococcal meningitis - Streptococcus pneumoniae

Answer 4

• Member of the normal microbiota of the upper respiratory tract
• Frequent cause of pneumonia
• Capsule helps it to evade phagocytosis
• Exoenzymes degrade tissues and allow movement into blood and to the meninges

Question 5

Treatment of Pneumococcal meningitis

Answer 5

Antibiotics

Question 6

Prevention of Pneumococcal meningitis

Answer 6

Subunit vaccine for elderly, conjugated vaccine for children