(Enochs + some)Lecture 4: CNS Infections Flashcards
What are the types of CNS infections?
- Meningitis - inflammatory of meningies
- Encephalitis - inflamm of brain itself
- Meningoencephalitis - inflamm of both
- Brain Abscess - collection of purulent material within brian tissue
What are the meningeal signs?
- Nuchal rigidity
- Brudzinski’s (neck)
- Kernig’s (knee)
What physical manifestation is seen in increased ICP in infants?
Bulging fontanelle
What are the S/S of increased ICP?
- Papilledema
- Poorly reactive pupils
- Abducens palsy (horizontal diplopia)
- N/V
- Bulging fontanelle in infants
describe each of the following:
- dura mater
- arachnoid mater
- subarachnoid space
- pia mater
What layers of the meninges does meningitis typically affect?
- Arachnoid mater
- Pia mater
What are the typical colonization areas for pathogens that cause meningitis?
- Nasopharynx
- Respiratory tract
- Skin
- GI/GU tracts
What are the two ways pathogens spread to the CNS?
- Hematogenous (MC)
- Direct contiguous spread via face sinuses (sinusitis, OM, trauma, neurosurgical)
How can newbornes get bacterial meningitis
- pathogens colonized from the maternal intestinal or genital tract
- transmitted from nursery personnel or caregivers at home
What is the #1 community acquired bacteria to cause meningitis?
What are the other 4 bacterial causes?
Strep pneumo (MC in adults > 20)
Group B strep
N. meningitiditis (causes SEVERE meningitis)
H flu type B
Listeria monocytogenes
What are the most common healthcare acquired bacterial meningitis pathogens and when does it occur?
- Staph aureus and coagulase-negative staph (normal skin flora)
- MC after neurosurgical procedures
What is the MC bacteria that causes meningitis in neonates?
- GBS
- E. coli
- gram neg bacilli
What is the MC bacteria that causes meningitis in children > 1 month?
- Strep pneumo
- N. meningitiditis
- H flu (unvaccinated)
- GBS
- Gram neg bacilli
What is the classic triad of bacterial meningitis?
- Headache (MC)
- Fever (2nd MC)
- Nuchal rigidity/meningeal signs
- ALOC/AMS (sometimes)
First 3 occur 50% of all cases
2 out of 4 are present in almost all cases
What additional S/S are seen in bacterial meningitis for adults?
- N/V
- Photophobia
- Increased ICP (papilledema, CN palsy)
- Meningococcal rash (petechiae or purpura)
Presence of meningococal rash suggests N. meningitiditis, which is more severe.
what symptom is associated with septic N meningitidis
maculopapular rash that become petechial and/or purpuric involving the trunk, LE, mucosal membranes, conjunctiva
How might an pediatrics present in bacterial meningitis?
- Restlessness
- V/D
- Poor feeding
- Respiratory distress
- Seizures
- Jaundice
- Bulging fontanelle (infants)
- fever/hypothermia
Kernig and brud is NOT reliable in younger children
What are the historical red flags for bacterial meningitis?
- Recent exposure
- Recent illness/abx tx (sinusitis, otitis, pna, ect)
- Recent travel to endemic areas (sub-saharan africa)
- Penetrating head trauma
- CSF otorrhea or CSF rhinorrhea (hx skull fx)
- Cochlear implants
- Recent neurosurgery (esp. VP shunts)
What is the absolute #1 treatment for bacterial meningitis?
Starting Empiric ABX
Goal is 60 minutes to starting abx!
What two things are of upmost importance in diagnosing bacterial meningitis?
- Blood cultures x2
- LP
What would prompt us to order a CT scan prior to performing an LP?
- Immunocompromised state
- Increased ICP S/S
- History of CNS disease
- New onset seizures
- Papilledema
- ALOC
- Focal neurologic deficit
DO NOT DELAY EMPIRIC ABX THERAPY FOR LP OR CT
What are the landmarks and location for LPs?
- Iliac crest/PSIS
- L2-L3, L3-L4 or L4-L5 intervertebral spaces
What does high flow of CSF from a LP suggest?
Increased ICP
What are the 4 tubes for CSF analysis?
- Cell count and diff
- Glucose and protein
- Gram stain, C&S
- Cell count and diff (repeat) or special studies
On a CSF analysis suggestive of bacteria, what would I see?
- Increased pressure 200-300
- Cloudy, purulent appearance
- Many PMNs >80%
- Low glucose <40
- High Protein >100
- Elevated lactate (>= 31.53) (additional study)
- Decreased CSF:serum glucose ratio < 0.4 (additional study)
Bacteria eat glucose so glucose is low, and then they poop out protein.
On a CSF analysis suggestive of viral infection what would i see
what lab studies do we order to work up bacterial meningitis
- CBC - PMN leukocytosis (left shift)
- CMP - assess liver/kidney fxn for abx
- coag panel to differentiate who needs FFP or platelets after LP
What kind of illness can be negative on CSF fluid?
Tick-borne diseases (Lyme and Ehrlichiosis)
What could MRI show in terms of differentials for meningitis?
- Brain Abscess
- SAH
When is ABX given in terms of LP?
After the LP UNLESS the LP is delayed.
What is step 1 of empiric therapy for bacterial meningitis? what is the purpose of this step?
- Dexamethasone given to ALL pts 0-20 min prior to ABX
- prevents release of inflammatory cytokines initiated by antibiotics when they act on bacterial cell wall
For a healthy patient that is less than 50 yo, what is the empiric ABX for bacterial meningitis?
- Rocephin (can use cefotaxime or cefepime)+
- Vanco+
- Acyclovir+ (given to cover HSV encephalitis)
- additional empiric therapy if indicated
Do all 3 until a CSF analysis returns.
- Rocephin can be subbed for ceftazidime or meropenem for neurosurg patients to cover p. aeruginosa.
Roc the van cycle
What is the alternative to rocephin in neonates?
Cefotaxime + ampicillin
Rocephin causes hyperbilirubinemia
amplified taxes
When is ampicillin indicated as additional therapy for bacterial meningitis?
- Cover listeria
- indicated in < 1 month old or > 50 yo
- also in Immunocompromised patients (includes preggo)
When is doxycycline indicated as additional therapy for bacterial meningitis?
During tick season
When is metronidazole indicated as additional therapy for bacterial meningitis?
G- anaerobes from sinusitis, otitis, or mastoiditis
What should we do to manage increased ICP?
- Elevation of the patient’s head to 30deg
- Intubation with hyperventilation
- Mannitol (osmotic diuretic to reduce fluid)
What bacteria requires the longest duration of ABX therapy in bacterial meningitis?
Listeria (21 days)
When is repeat CSF analysis indicated in bacterial meningitis?
- No improvement after 48 hrs of appropriate therapy
- Microorganisms resistant (2-3 days after initiation of therapy)
- Persistent fever > 8 days (without any other known cause)
If CSF cultures are positive on repeat, what should we do with our ABX?
Adminster them intrathecally or intraventricularly.
A repeat culture should be sterile ideally.