Infections of the Nervous System Flashcards
Meningitis?
Inflammation of meninges
Encephalitis?
Inflammation/infection of brain substance
Myelitis?
Inflammation/infection of spina cord
What is the classical triad of symptoms for meningitis?
Fever, neck stiffness, altered mental state
Meningtism?
Clinical syndrome of neck stiffness, photophobia, nausea and vomiting
The conscious state can be measured using the Glasgow Coma Scale.
In those with meningitis, what is the GCS usually?
<14
What else can occur in those with meningitis?
Cranial nerve palsies
Seizures
Focal neurological deficits
What is a hallmark of meningococcal meningitis?
Non-blanching skin rash
->may occur in viral meningitis so not completely specific to bacterial
Name three causes of infective meningitis.
Bacteria
Virus
Fungus
Name a cause of inflammatory meningitis.
Sarcoidosis
Name a cause of drug induced meningitis.
NSAIDs
IVIG
What are some malignant causes of meningitis?
Metastasis
Name the two bacterial which can cause bacterial meningitis.
Neisseria meningitidis
Streptococcus pneumoniae
What are the viral causes of meningitis?
Enteroviruses
What usually occurs 4-10 days before neurological features of encephalitis start to occur?
Flu-like illness
In encephalitis, which symptoms occur after the flu-like illness?
Progressive headache
Fever
Progressive cerebral dysfunction
Seizures
Focal symptoms
List some of the aspects of the altered cerebral dysfunction seen in those with encephalitis.
Confusion
Abnormal behaviour
Memory disturbance
Depressed conscious level
Which has a slower onset; meningitis or encephalitis?
Encephalitis
What is the infective cause of encephalitis?
Viral, most commonly HSV (herpes simplex virus).
What are some inflammatory causes of encepalitis?
Limbic encephalitis
ADEM
What are some of the metabolic causes of encephalitis?
Hepatic cause
Uraemic cause
Hyperglycaemic cause
What are some malignant causes of encephalitis?
Metastatic
Parneoplastic
What other issue can present like encephalitis?
Migraine
-> patient is less unwell though and the migraine will usually resolve by itself.
Name the two types of auto-immune encephalitis.
Anti-VGKC (voltage gated potassium channel)
Anti-NDMA receptor