meningitis /men·in·gi·tis/ (men″in-ji´tis) pl. meningi´tides [Gr.] inflammation of the meninges.meningit´ic
viral meningitis,
meningitis [men″in-ji´tis] (pl. meningi´tides)
basilar meningitis that affecting the meninges at the base of the brain.
cerebral meningitis inflammation of the membranes of the brain.
cerebrospinal meningitis inflammation of the membranes of the brain and spinal cord.
chronic meningitis a variable syndrome of prolonged fever, headache, lethargy, stiff neck, confusion, nausea, and vomiting, with pleocytosis; due to a variety of infectious and noninfectious causes.
cryptococcal meningitis cryptococcosis in which the meninges are invaded by Cryptococcus .
eosinophilic meningitis meningitis characterized by an increase in lymphocytes and a high percentage of eosinophils in the cerebrospinal fluid, usually due to Angiostrongylus cantonensis infection.
epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis meningococcal m.
meningococcal meningitis an acute infectious, usually epidemic, disease attended by a seropurulent meningitis, due to Neisseria meningitidis, usually with an erythematous, herpetic, or hemorrhagic skin eruption.
occlusive meningitis leptomeningitis of children, with closure of the lateral and median apertures of the fourth ventricle.
meningitis ossi´ficans ossification of the cerebral meninges.
otitic meningitis that secondary to otitis media.
spinal meningitis inflammation of the membranes of the spinal cord.
tubercular meningitis , tuberculous meningitis severe meningitis due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
viral meningitis that due to a virus, e.g., coxsackieviruses, mumps virus, or the virus of lymphocytic choriomeningitis, marked by malaise, fever, headache and other aches, nausea, and cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis (mainly lymphocytic); it usually runs a short uncomplicated course.
viral meningitis,
meningitis caused by various viruses, such as the coxsackieviruses, mumps virus, and the virus of lymphocytic choriomeningitis, characterized by malaise, fever, headache, nausea, cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis (principally lymphocytic), abdominal pain, stiffness of the neck and back, and a short uncomplicated course. See also aseptic meningitis.
meningitis [men″in-ji´tis] (pl. meningi´tides)
inflammation of the meninges, usually by either a bacterium (bacterial m.) or a virus (viral m.). When it affects the dura mater it is termed pachymeningitis; when the arachnoid and pia mater are involved, it is called leptomeningitis. The term meningitis does not refer to a specific disease entity but rather to the pathologic condition of inflammation of the tissues of the meninges. The etiologic agent can be anything that activates an inflammatory response, including both pathogenic and nonpathogenic organisms, such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi; chemical toxins such as lead and arsenic; contrast media used in myelography; and metastatic malignant cells. Enteroviruses are the most common causes of aseptic meningitis.
Bacterial Meningitis. This form occurs when pathogenic bacteria enter the subarachnoid space and cause a pyogenic inflammatory response. The most common causes are Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus), Neisseria meningitidis (meningococcus), and Haemophilus influenzae, which are responsible for approximately 70 per cent of all cases. The incidence is age-related. In adults, S. pneumoniae and N. meningitidis cause most of the cases; in children aged 1 month to 15 years, N. meningitidis and H. influenzae predominate; in neonates less than 1 month old, the disease is usually a nosocomial infection with gram-negative enteric bacilli.
Almost all bacterial infections of the meninges enter the nervous system after having invaded and infected another region of the body and then are spread by local extension, as from the sinuses, or through the blood, as in septicemia. The organisms gain access to the ventriculosubarachnoid spaces and the cerebrospinal fluid where they cause irritation of the tissues bathed by the fluid.
Bacterial meningitis typically begins with headache, nausea and vomiting, stiff neck (nuchal rigidity), and chills and fever. Irritability and confusion occur early in the course of the disease, and convulsive seizures occur in about 25 per cent of patients. As the disease progresses the patient becomes less rational, has decreasing levels of consciousness, and lapses into coma. Inability to straighten the knee when the hip is flexed (a positive kernig's sign) and involuntary flexing of the hip and knee when the neck is flexed forward (a positive brudzinski's sign) are indicative of meningeal irritation.
A diagnosis of bacterial meningitis is verified by isolation of the organism from a specimen of cerebrospinal fluid obtained by lumbar puncture. Treatment with the appropriate antibacterial agent is begun at once to reduce the numbers of proliferating bacteria attacking the central nervous system. Supportive measures include rest, maintenance of fluid and electrolyte balance, and prevention or control of convulsions with anticonvulsant drugs.
The prognosis is generally good, especially for meningococcal meningitis in which residual neurologic deficits and persistent convulsive seizures are rare. Pneumococcal meningitis and meningitis due to Haemophilus influenzae are more likely to be complicated by these sequelae as well as by septic shock and hydrocephalus.
Almost all bacterial infections of the meninges enter the nervous system after having invaded and infected another region of the body and then are spread by local extension, as from the sinuses, or through the blood, as in septicemia. The organisms gain access to the ventriculosubarachnoid spaces and the cerebrospinal fluid where they cause irritation of the tissues bathed by the fluid.
Bacterial meningitis typically begins with headache, nausea and vomiting, stiff neck (nuchal rigidity), and chills and fever. Irritability and confusion occur early in the course of the disease, and convulsive seizures occur in about 25 per cent of patients. As the disease progresses the patient becomes less rational, has decreasing levels of consciousness, and lapses into coma. Inability to straighten the knee when the hip is flexed (a positive kernig's sign) and involuntary flexing of the hip and knee when the neck is flexed forward (a positive brudzinski's sign) are indicative of meningeal irritation.
A diagnosis of bacterial meningitis is verified by isolation of the organism from a specimen of cerebrospinal fluid obtained by lumbar puncture. Treatment with the appropriate antibacterial agent is begun at once to reduce the numbers of proliferating bacteria attacking the central nervous system. Supportive measures include rest, maintenance of fluid and electrolyte balance, and prevention or control of convulsions with anticonvulsant drugs.
The prognosis is generally good, especially for meningococcal meningitis in which residual neurologic deficits and persistent convulsive seizures are rare. Pneumococcal meningitis and meningitis due to Haemophilus influenzae are more likely to be complicated by these sequelae as well as by septic shock and hydrocephalus.
Benign Viral Meningitis. This term encompasses a group of disorders in which there is some meningeal irritation but no pyogenic organism can be found in the cerebrospinal fluid. It is, therefore, called also aseptic meningitis complex, which is somewhat misleading because the meningeal irritation often follows infection with the mumps virus or with one of the picornaviruses.
The patient with this disorder typically complains of headache and signs characteristic of meningeal irritation, intolerance to light, and pain when the eyes are moved from side to side. Most of the symptoms are mild, and treatment is largely supportive and symptomatic; the disease is self-limiting.
The patient with this disorder typically complains of headache and signs characteristic of meningeal irritation, intolerance to light, and pain when the eyes are moved from side to side. Most of the symptoms are mild, and treatment is largely supportive and symptomatic; the disease is self-limiting.
Patient Care. Assessment of the patient with meningitis includes monitoring vital signs, neurologic status, and fluid and electrolyte status. The plan of care should include provisions for rest and relief from discomfort, a quiet and nonstimulating environment, protection from injury during convulsions, control of elevated body temperature, and isolation precautions as indicated by the specific causative organism. In general, enteric precautions are indicated for patients with aseptic meningitis caused by an enterovirus. Fungal and meningococcal meningitis require respiratory precautions. Antibiotics must be given precisely as ordered so as to avoid further damage to the central nervous system. Early signs of increased intracranial pressure from brain edema are reported promptly so that measures to reduce pressure can be taken as soon as possible. During the acute phase and convalescence the patient is watched for signs of complications such as septic shock, vascular collapse, and hydrocephalus. Nutritional status must be maintained throughout the course of illness to reinforce the patient's natural resources for combating infection and recovering from its deleterious effects.
Portals of entry resulting in meningitis, meningoencephalitis, and intracranial mass lesions. From Mahon and Manuselis, 2000.
aseptic meningitis any of several mild types of meningitis, most of which are caused by viruses; see viral meningitis.
bacterial meningitis meningitis caused by bacteria; common pathogens are Haemophilus influenzae, Neisseria meningitidis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Some types may be serious, acute, or even fulminating. See also viral meningitis.
cerebrospinal meningitis an inflammation of the brain and spinal cord; it may be caused by any of numerous different organisms.
epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis an acute infectious disease with seropurulent inflammation of the membranes of the brain and spinal cord, due to infection by Neisseria meningitidis (meningococcus). It usually occurs in epidemics, and symptoms are those of acute cerebral and spinal meningitis. There is also usually an eruption of erythematous, herpetic, or hemorrhagic spots on the skin. The fulminating or malignant form is known as Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome.
spinal meningitis inflammation of the meninges of the spinal cord.
viral meningitis meningitis due to any of various viruses, such as a coxsackievirus or the mumps virus, with lymphocytes in the cerebrospinal fluid. It usually has a short uncomplicated course characterized by malaise, fever, headache, stiffness of neck and back, and nausea. See also aseptic meningitis.
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