CNS infections II Flashcards
CNS tuberculosis. most common disease, epidemiology
meningitis is the most common form, esp. at the BASE OF THE BRAIN. seen in immigrants, drug addicts, AIDS pts, increase in the elderly. may also develop in the course of miliary TB.
contents of CNS TB exudate
lymphocytes Nd plasma cells and epitheliold cells). ill-defined caseous areas and langhans cells. well formed caseous granulomas may be sparse
What kinds of diseases are associated with yeast form fungal infections? with hyphae?
acute or chronic basilar meningitis. larger hypahe obstruct vessels and may lead to infarcts or hemorrhages.
Candidiasis CNS infections
common as fungal infections go. hematogenous spread. microabscesses with 2-3 pseudohyphae, plus neutrophils, plasma cells, macrophages, multinucleated giant cells.
Aspergillosis: causes, disease
caused by A. fumigatus and niger in the lung.
multiple areas of necrosis with or without hemorrhages. sometimes abscess associated with massive invasion and transmural growth
cryptococcosis
caused by cryptococcus neoformans. ubiquitous yeast, esp. in pigeon roosting sites. CNS infection usually secondary to lung infection. usually opportunistic, esp. in AIDS pts. acute and/or chronic meningitis.
Indolent meningitis
gelatinous exudate with or without intraparenchymal cystic lesions. rarely localized granulomas. minimal inflammatory response.
fungal infectious causes of acute and chronic meningitis
cryptococcus (also bastomyces, histomplasma)
fungal infections associated with septic emboli
aserpgillosis (also phycomycetes). see hemorrhagic vasculitis and infarction
fungal infections commonly associated with abscesses
candida
coccidiodomycosis
caused by coccidiodes immitis. seen in southwestern US. basilar and granulomatous meningitis.
Phycomycosis
2 species: rhizopus and mucor. diabetics with ketoacidosis get rhinocerebral form
kinds of CNS syphilis illnesses
- acute syphilitic leptomeningitis
- cerebrovascular syphilis
- parenchymal neurosyphilis with chronic meningitis and/or vasculitis, tabes dorsalis, cerebral gumma, and general paresis
cause of neurosyphilis
tremonema pallidum
tabes dorsalis
associated with neurosyphilis. degeneration of the dorsal columns and peripheral nerves. sign of tertiary syphilis.
paretic dementia
form of neurosyphilis
lots of atrophy with thick, opaque meninges
abundant plasma cells
