CNS Infections- Pathogenesis & S/S Flashcards
Secondary invasion of CNS follows:
- bacteremia
- viremia
- fungemia
- parasitemia
Entry into the subarachnoid space occurs via sites of minimal resistance:
- choroid plexus
- dural venous sinuses
- cribriform plate
- cerebral capillaries
Direct entry via damage to integrity of the CNS occurs via: (4 things)
- Penetrating injuries of the skull or spinal column.
- congenital defects
* Note: for 1 and 2 of above most likely etiology is S. pneumoniae, Hib, GAS - Ventricular shunts.
- All children with cochlear implants, esp. those with implants with a positioner (rubber wedge) are at increased risk of infection for > 2 year post-implantation
Contiguous spread of infection along vascular channels from
- Nasal sinuses – Naegleria fowleri.
- Malignant otitis externa (P. aeruginosa) or otitis media.
- Mastoid.
- Sites of parameningeal infection, e.g., epidural abscess.
Infections that are spread from intra-axonal transport (retrograde flow) inside nerves:
- rabies.
- herpes.
- polioviruses.
- tetanus toxin.
Signs and symptoms of meningitis in the neonate are the same as those for neonatal sepsis and encephalitis, but are not the same as _________
the adult
Signs and symptoms of meningitis and encephalitis in the neonate are
- Fever.
- Lethargy.
- Poor feeding.
- GI disturbance (vomiting/diarrhea)/abdominal distension.
- Respiratory abnormalities (e.g., dyspnea, cyanosis)
- Cardiac abnormalities (tachycardia).
- Bulging fontanelle (indicates pressure on brain), ONLY if CNS infection.
Signs & Symptoms of any (bacterial, fungal, viral, etc.) meningitis in persons >2 y-o-age (adults too)
- Irritability – common.
- lethargy – common.
- fever – common.
- severe headache,
- nuchal rigidity,
- vomiting,
- pressure on eyeball.
- photophobia.
- Meningeal inflammation/irritation elicits a protective response (5 different signs)
Meningeal inflammation/irritation elicits a protective response (5 different signs) to prevent stretching of inflamed, hypersensitive nerve roots:
- Nuchal rigidity – meningismus, (e.g., The inability of a patient to place their chin to their chest passively without involuntary muscles spasms preventing it).
- Kernig sign - extension of the leg at the knee when patient is supine with the thigh flexed at the hip → marked pain and resistance to extension of the leg.
- Brudzinski sign - rapid flexion of the neck while patient is supine → involuntary brisk flexion of the knees.
- Opisthotonos - head drawn backward, spasm of back muscles.
- Tripod position (aka Amoss or Hoyne signs) knees and hips flexed, back arched lordotically, neck extended, and arms brought back to support the thorax
Severe S&S indicative of progression to meningoencephalitis
- decline in consciousness
- focal cerebral abnormalities (hemiparesis, monoparesis, or aphasia)
- Seizures/Convulsions
- Coma
Presence of maculopapular rash indicates infection with:
- non-polio enteroviruses (ECHOvirus, Coxsackievirus, enteroviruses),
- arboviruses
- HSV.
- S. pneumoniae.
- N. meningitidis.
- H. influenzae, type b. (Hib)
Presence of vesicular rash indicates infection with:
- HSV
- fungi
- non-polio enteroviruses
Presence of petechial/purpuric rash indicates infection with:
- S. pneumoniae.
- N. meningitidis.
- H. influenzae, type b. (Hib)
Bacteria penetration of blood-brain barrier and into CSF leads to:
- Local release of inflammatory cytokines in CSF
2. Adhesion of leukocytes to brain endothelium and diapedesis into CSF
After initial penetration of BBB, and inflammatory cytokines are released and leukocytes adhere in brain and move into CSF, the blood-brain barrier is further damaged and becomes permeable, which results in:
a. Exudation of albumin through opened intercellular junctions of meningeal venules.
b. Brain edema, increased intracranial pressure, cerebral vasculitis, altered cerebral blood flow.
c. Cranial nerve injury, seizures, hypoxic-ischemic brain damage, brain-stem herniation.
Mechanisms responsible for the encephalitic aspects of bacterial meningitis include:
a. metabolic encephalitis caused by endotoxin and TNF-α.
b. perivascular inflammation.
c. infarcts (strokes/seizures) caused by occluded blood
The greater the extent of the pathoglogy, the more devastating the manifestations in the patient and their prognosis.
Encephalitis is
inflammation of the brain parenchyma
Encephalopathy is
depressed or altered level of consciousness lasting >24 hours. Determined clinically – i.e., examination of patient
Encephalitis is encephalopathy plus 2 or more of the following:
- fever (>38oC),
- seizures,
- altered mental status,
- severe headache
- focal neurological findings (e.g., paralysis, cognitive disorders, if focal encephalitis is present),
- CSF pleocytosis (> 5 WBC/ml)
- electroencephalogram findings compatible with encephalitis,
- abnormal results on neuroimaging.
- Some manifestations of meningitis may also be present