Meningitis Flashcards
Signs of meningism
Nuchal rigidity or neck stiffness
Photophobia
Vomiting
Kernig’s +ve
Brudzinski +ve
What is kerniges sign
Thigh flexed when patient lies flat, leg can’t completely extend
Brudzinkis sign
When neck flexed, flexion of knees and hips prduced
When lower extremity one side felxed passively, similar movement in other side is seen
Complciations of meningitis
Hearing loss
Seizures and epilepsy
Cognitive impairment and learning disability
Memory loss
Focal neurological deficitssuch as limb weakness or spasticity when cerebral infarction occurs
Amputations, skin scars
Hydrocephalus
Learning difficulties
Emotional and behavioural difficulties
Management of meningitis
A to E
Fluid Resus
antibitoics- trust policy
Antivirals
What do you give to meningtis patients while waiting for LP results?
Parenteral benzylpenicillin IV or IM
Adults and 10yes+ = 1200mg
1-9yrs- 600mg
<1yr - 300mg
What is meningitis?
Inflammation two inner meninges - pia and arachnoid mater
What is causative agent in meningococcal disease?
Neissiera meningitidis
Pneumococccal meningitis is caused by
Strep pneumoniae
3 most common causes of meningitis
Neissiera meningitidis
Strep pneumoniae
H. influenzae tyoe B
Types of meningitis and which one is now major cause in under 25s
B,C,W, Y
Men B
Why does HF cause a low ESR?
FLuid overload causes increase in plasma - sink slower
Causes of viral meningitis
Enteroviruses - coxsackie A and B + echoviruses
HSC
Cause of fungal meningitis and in who?
Immunocompromised - cryptococcus
Other causes of meningitis
TB
Drugs - NSAIDs, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, amoxicillin, rantidine
Sepsis
Pneumonia
Encephalitis
Malignancy
CN system abscess
HIV infection
Subarrachnoid haemorrhage
Autoimmune - SLE, Behcets syndrome
