Infectious Neuro Diseases

Question 1

meningitis

Answer 1

acute inflammation of the meninges, ventricular space, and spinal cord (CSF)

Question 2

Most common causes of meningitis

Answer 2

• strep and neisseria (bac)
• enterovirus (viral)

Question 3

Layers of the meninges

Answer 3

• pia (inner)
• arachnoid (middle, holds CSF)
• dura (outer)

Question 4

When does meningitis often occur

Answer 4

Fall or winter after oto or PNA or immunocomp post-viral
- can be a carrier without getting yourself

Question 5

Meningitis patho

Answer 5

• org inhaled and attaches to epi cells of nasal pharynx and cross the mucosal barrier to the blood to BBB
• inflammation brings neutrophils to the area which thickens the CSF (pus secreted)
• inc CSF causes inc ICP
• affects arachnoid space and CSF

Question 6

CM of meningitis

Answer 6

TRIAD - throbbing HA, fever, stiff neck (nuchal rigidity)
- AMS, coma, N/V, photophobia, purpura meningococcus (rash and petechiae), sz
- Kernig’s sign
- Brudzinski’s sign

Question 7

Kernig’s sign

Answer 7

Inability to passively straighten legs past 90 degrees without pain or hard resistance

Question 8

Positive Brudzinski sign

Answer 8

When the pt is supine and the neck is flexed, the knees draw up to dec pain

Question 9

Bacterial meningitis

Answer 9

More fatal (hours)
- antibiotics not held–ASAP
- petechial rash–not blanchable
- perm hearing loss, sz, brain damage

Question 10

Acute viral meningitis

Answer 10

• milder
• lower WBC count
• no long term effects

Question 11

Meningitis tx

Answer 11

• abx therapy–IV ceftriaxone and vanc (MRSA menin)
• acyclovir to prevent herpatic encephalitis
• steroid
• prophyl vax–H. influenza, meningococcus, pneumococcus

Question 12

Meningitis vax

Answer 12

• first at 11-12
• booster at 16
• one more for immunocompromised

Question 13

Encephalitis

Answer 13

Inflammation of brain tissue

Question 14

Causes of encephalitis

Answer 14

Viral–West nile (mosquitoes), measles, chicken pox, mumps, HSV-1 (herpatic enceph)

Question 15

CM of encephalitis

Answer 15

w/i 1-2d infx
- mild to AMS or coma
- fever, HA, n/v, CNS changes–sz

Question 16

Encephalitis pharm

Answer 16

• acyclovir for viral herpetic (dec fatality but not CNS chx)
• also supportive tx
• anti-sz meds for menin and enceph

Question 17

brain abscess

Answer 17

Accumulation of pus in the brain

Question 18

Brain abscess etiology

Answer 18

• local or systemic infx
• from ear, tooth, mastoid, sinus infx

Question 19

Big causes of brain abscess

Answer 19

Strep and staph

Question 20

CM of brain abscess

Answer 20

• HA, fever, N/V, inc ICP (confuse, sz, drowsy)
• focal sx based on area of abscess–temporal–vis prob

Question 21

Brain abscess care

Answer 21

Drain to dec pressure and risk of second degree injury