Meningitis and Encephalitis Flashcards
Pathogonomic sign of meningeal irritation Harrison pp 883
Nuchal rigidity
Thigh is flexed against the abdomen with knee is also flexed, attempt to passively extend the knee and elicit pain when meningeal irritation is present.
Harrison pp 883
Kernig sign
Passive flexion of the neck. Result in spontaneous flexion of the hips and knee. Harrison pp 883
Brudzinski’s sign
What type of patient should undergo CT scan/MRI prior to lumbar puncture (LP)? Harrison pp 884
Head trauma Immunocompromised (Malignant lesions or CNS) Focal neurologic findings Papilledema Depressed level of consciousness
What does not occur in viral meningitis? Harrison pp 884
Decreased level of consciousness
Seizures
Focal neurologic deficit
If MRI showed focal or generalized gray matter abnormalities or normal and no mass lesions, it is more of what disease? Harrison pp 884
Encephalitis
If MRI/CT showed, no mass lesion but noted white matter abnormalities? Harrison pp 884
Acute Dissiminated Encephalomyelitis
Most often responsible for community acquired bacterial meningitis? Harrison pp 885
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Neisseria meningitis
Group B streptococci
Causative organism of recurring epidemics of meningitis. Harrison pp 885
N. Meningitis
Risk factor associated with S. pneumoniae meningitis. Harrison pp 885
Most important: pneumococcal pneumoniae
- Acute or chronic pnuemococcal sinusitis or otitis media
- Alcoholism
- Diabetes
- Splenectomy
- Hypogammaglobulinemia
- Complement deficiency
- Head trauma w/ basilar skull fracture
- CSF Rhinorrhea
Risk factor for gram negative bacilli in meningitis Harrison pp 885
Chronic and debilatating disease such as diabetes, cirrhosis, alcoholism and chronic UTI
Commonly affected by L. monocytogenes Harrison pp 885
< 1month of age
pregnant woman
immunocompromised
> 60 years of age
These are important causes of meniningitis that occurs following invasive neurosurgical procedures like shunting procedures for hydrocephalus or as a complication secondary use of subcutaneous ommaya reservoir. Harrison pp 885
S. aureus
Coagulase negative staphylococci
Reasons why bacteria are able to multiply rapidly w/in CSF. Harrison pp 886
- absence of effective host immunodefense
- small amount of complement proteins
- fluid nature of CSF
What are the clinical triad of meningitis? Harrison pp 887
- Fever
- Headache
- Nuchal Rigidity