Acute Bacterial Meningitis

Acute Bacterial Meningitis

    * Introduction
    * Pathophysiology
    * Clinical
    * Diagnosis
    * Treatment
Meningitis is an acute or chronic inflammation of the brain or spinal meninges. Etiology of meningitis may be different, on viral, bacterial, parasites or toxins, but the symptoms are similar (revealing meningiana rash), characterized by fever, headache, neck stiffness, vomiting jet paraspinal muscle contractures, cutaneous hyperesthesia, photophobia, phenomena mental. After locating, meningitis may be brain or spinal cerebrospinal. Bacterial meningitis is a medical emergency, regardless of the circumstances in which it appears that affect people, because healing can be treated even at the cost of neurological sequelae. Diagnosis of certainty arises only by lumbar puncture. Acute bacterial meningitis is characterized by an acute inflammatory skin reaction mater, arachnoid and cerebrospinal fluid as a reaction to a bacterial infection. Bacterial meningitis is currently still a common disease, especially among developing countries. The disease is found more frequently in children and young adults aged between 15 and 25 years. It also occurs in immunocompromised persons, the elderly and people with chronic diseases. Bacterial meningitis may develop differently from individual to individual, from mild to severe forms that may threaten patient's life. The severity of clinical presentation is closely related to the causative agent, patient's age and general condition of it.
Etiology Bacterial meningitis is caused by bacteria such as Neisseria meningitidis (meningococcus), Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Gram-negative staphylococci and various species of Listeria. Neonatal meningitis is caused mainly by Gram-negative bacteria like Escherichia coli (capsular type K1) strains of Pseudomonas, Listeria monocytogenes and group B streptococci in children (from age 1 month to 15 years) agents most casual encounter are, in descending order Haemophilus influenzae, Neisseria meningitidis, Streptococcus pneumoniae. In adults, bacterial meningitis is caused mainly by (in order of frequency) Streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis, staphylococci and aerobic gram-negative bacilli (especially the elderly). During epidemics of bacterial meningitis, the most common cause is Neisseria meningitidis. Meningitis caused by anaerobic bacteria is found less frequently and usually is caused by the rupture of a cerebral abscess or intraventricular subarachnoid space containing anaerobic bacteria. Sometimes the release occurs from an outbreak of anaerobic microorganisms that are remote, as is the case with sinus or other location than brain abscesses. Contact meningitis in hospital are caused by germs resistant to antibiotics as strains of Acinetobacter and Flavobacterium meningosepticum.
Ways of transmission Enteroviruses and some bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes is transmitted through the mechanism enteral (through hands dirty). Neisseria meningitidis and Streptococcus pneumoniae are transmitted by sneezing and saliva from infected people or carriers. During birth mother can transmit the fetal enterovirus sick, E. coli and streptococcus group B. Other ways of transmission: sexual contact and through contact with infected blood or through rodents and insects.
Risk Factors Persons at high risk for bacterial meningitis are those with a poor health condition, which are immunosuppressive treatments, those who are in a dialysis program, undernourished people (eg sub-Saharan region where meningitis is seen frequently). Neurosurgical operations have increased risk of meningitis is complicated by a wound if not treated properly, as this creates gateways microbes, and the patient is so weak after surgical stress. Therefore in such cases are given prophylactic treatment with antibiotics. Upper respiratory infections, mumps, syphilis, sinusitis, tuberculosis, Lyme disease, Herpes simplex virus infections can be complicated by meningitis in immunosuppressed persons and those who have a susceptibility to the disease (a birth defect or genetic susceptibility). Babies born to mothers who have infection meningiana turn can contaminate the causative agents during pregnancy. Group B streptococci, Listeria monocytogenes and E. coli can be transmitted from infected mother so. Also, people who have had past episodes of meningitis were more likely to recover from the disease in the general population because they remain with a certain sensitivity.