CNS INFECTION Flashcards
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What is the most common route of CNS infection?
The most common route is hematogenous spread through the blood-brain or blood-CSF barrier.
What are the primary pathogens causing bacterial meningitis?
Neisseria meningitidis
What are the features of Neisseria meningitidis?
It is a gram-negative
What are the clinical signs of meningococcal meningitis?
Signs include fever
What is Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome?
It is adrenal gland failure due to bilateral hemorrhage caused by meningococcal sepsis.
What is the diagnostic test for Cryptococcus meningitis?
India ink staining and antigen detection in CSF are diagnostic.
What are the symptoms of viral meningitis?
Headache
What is the gold-standard treatment for tuberculous meningitis?
Combination therapy with isoniazid
What are the clinical features of botulism?
Progressive descending paralysis
What is the cause of floppy baby syndrome?
Infant botulism caused by Clostridium botulinum toxin from honey or contaminated food.
What is the pathogenesis of tetanus?
Tetanospasmin blocks inhibitory neurotransmitters
How is tetanus diagnosed?
Diagnosis is clinical based on lockjaw
What vaccines are available for meningococcal prevention?
Conjugate vaccines covering serogroups A
What is the hallmark finding in rabies encephalitis?
Negri bodies in neurons and hydrophobia are diagnostic hallmarks.
What is the cause of neonatal meningitis?
Group B streptococci (Strep. agalactiae) and Escherichia coli are common causes.
How is cerebral malaria caused?
Plasmodium falciparum adheres to capillaries in the brain
What is the treatment for fungal meningitis?
Amphotericin B and flucytosine are the recommended treatments.
What is the diagnostic method for herpes encephalitis?
PCR detection of HSV DNA in CSF is diagnostic.
What are the characteristics of poliovirus?
It is a small RNA virus from the Enterovirus genus causing motor neuron paralysis.
What is the incubation period for rabies?
The incubation period is 4–13 weeks
What is the primary cause of encephalitis in sub-Saharan Africa?
Cerebral malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum is a leading cause.
How is brain abscess diagnosed?
Diagnosis is by CT or MRI
What is the pathogenesis of botulinum toxin?
It inhibits acetylcholine release by targeting SNARE proteins
