CNS Infections

Question 1

3 most common CNS infections?

Answer 1

Meningitis
encephalitis
myelitis

Question 2

which age group get meningitis most?

Answer 2

paeds, <1 yr mostly

Question 3

3 main causes of meningitis

Answer 3

bacterial
viral
noninfections

Question 4

3 main bacterial causes of meningitis? why?

Answer 4

H.Influenzae B
Neisseiria Meningitidis
Strep Pneumoniae
-good at immune evasion due to capsules

Question 5

2 most common viral causes of meningitis?

Answer 5

Coxsackie

Echo

Question 6

clinical features of paeds meningitis?

Answer 6

bulging fontanelle
altered mental state
fever
vomiting
non-blanching rash

Question 7

which types of CSF become cloudy?

Answer 7

1. Bacterial (1000s Neutrophils, gram stain +ve))

2. TB (ZN +ve)

Question 8

CSF analyse needs to occur when?

Answer 8

ASAP or else cell lyse and get messed up reading

Question 9

Normal CSF pressure?

Answer 9

<150mm H20

Question 10

Normal CSF WBC?

Answer 10

<5 x 10^6/L

Question 11

Normal CSF glucose?

Answer 11

> 60% blood

Question 12

Differentiate bacterial and viral meningitis easily?

Answer 12

Nope. lots of overlap on CSF values, can’t distinguish

Question 13

Rx for meningitis?

Answer 13

Life support
fluids
antibiotics
steroids 
contact prophylaxis

Question 14

most common complication of bacterial meningitis?

Answer 14

hearing loss

Question 15

key different symptoms between meningitis and encephalitis?

Answer 15

meningitis: normal consciousness
encephalitis: altered conscious state

Question 16

what’s the main cause of encephalitis?

Answer 16

almost always viral: HSV

Question 17

Rx for encephalitis?

Answer 17

acyclovir